Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and increased pay held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday as their protest against the company 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, according to reports.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday.
NSEU workers declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are currently involved in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this strike marks the largest labor action in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates that its second-quarter revenue will soar by more than 1,450% compared to the previous year, fueled by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company has also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU emphasizes that workers have not experienced corresponding pay increases despite these record earnings.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the world’s most advanced computer chips.
Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to unionization and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
“If Samsung workers achieve success in this endeavor, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor force,” commented Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.