Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages gathered for a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their protest against the company into its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the event, 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 on Friday, as stated by Bloomberg.
NSEU workers had announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the workplace improvements its members sought.
While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number currently on indefinite strike is unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is now recognized as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung is projecting its second-quarter revenue to increase by more than 1,450% year-over-year, driven by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits during the first three months of 2024. However, the NSEU argues that workers are not seeing corresponding pay increases despite these record profits.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the most advanced computer chips globally are manufactured, according to AFP.
Experts have noted that Samsung has a reputation for being hostile toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this effort, it will empower other labor movements in South Korea,” said Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, according to AFP.