Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike against the company into its third week.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching along the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as reported by the Associated Press.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday, according to Bloomberg.
NSEU workers declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after previous walkouts did not achieve the desired workplace changes for their members.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are participating in the indefinite strike. However, this current action is already the largest in the technology company’s history.
Samsung anticipates a substantial increase in its second-quarter revenue, projected to rise more than 1,450% year-over-year, largely attributed to an AI boom. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits during the first quarter of 2024. In contrast, the NSEU argues that workers are not experiencing pay raises despite these record profits.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s semiconductor foundry, known for producing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as noted by AFP.
Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being antagonistic towards unions and has little prior experience in negotiating with its workforce.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this undertaking, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” remarked Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.