Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their protest against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements.
Although the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many have joined the indefinite strike. Regardless, this strike is already recognized as the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung anticipates a significant revenue increase of over 1,450% year-on-year due to the booming AI sector and has reported a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU argues that workers are not benefiting from these record earnings in the form of salary increases.
Many strikers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the most advanced computer chips globally.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being hostile toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the wider labor movement in South Korea.