Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their action against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations held between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout failed to achieve the workplace improvements its members seek. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many have joined the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this current action is the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in its second-quarter revenue, attributed to an AI boom, and reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims workers have not seen a corresponding rise in their wages despite these record profits.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as noted by AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a history of being resistant to unions and lacks substantial experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the wider labor movement across South Korea.