Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a large rally in South Korea on Monday, as their demonstration enters its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as reported by the Associated Press.
This rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung, which took place last Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU workers declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout did not yield the workplace improvements that members were advocating for.
While the union represents more than 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this ongoing strike marks the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite expectations that Samsung’s second-quarter revenue will surge by more than 1,450% year-over-year due to advancements in artificial intelligence, and despite a reported tenfold increase in profits for the initial quarter of 2024, the NSEU asserts that workers have not seen corresponding wage increases.
Many striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured.
Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly toward unions and lacks significant experience in negotiating with its employees.
Professor Vladimir Tikhonov of the University of Oslo remarked that if the Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower labor movements throughout the rest of South Korea.