Samsung employees protesting for improved working conditions and higher wages gathered for a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their strike against the company.
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.
The strike follows initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday.
NSEU workers declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after previous efforts to secure better workplace conditions fell short.
While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number currently on indefinite strike is unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted to be the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung projecting a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue compared to the previous year, largely driven by advancements in AI, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding wage increases amidst these record profits.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the world’s most sophisticated computer chips.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
If successful, this labor action could potentially empower other workers throughout South Korea, according to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.