Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and better pay held a significant 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) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as reported by the Associated Press.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung, which took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
Workers from the NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the workplace improvements its members sought.
Although the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are involved in the indefinite strike. However, this action is recognized as the largest strike in the technology company’s history.
Samsung anticipates that its second-quarter revenue will surge more than 1,450% year-over-year, driven by a boom in artificial intelligence, and it reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first three months of 2024. Despite these record returns, NSEU claims that workers are not seeing corresponding raises in their wages.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as noted by AFP.
Experts suggest that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a Korean studies professor at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could empower labor across South Korea.