Samsung employees demanding improved working conditions and increased wages organized a large rally in South Korea on Monday, as their strike against the company enters its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of 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 negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung last Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout failed to achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are currently participating in the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this action is noted as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung is anticipating a staggering 1,450% increase in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year, largely attributed to a surge in artificial intelligence. Additionally, the company reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers are not benefiting from these record earnings.
Many striking employees are involved in the foundry, which produces some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as highlighted by AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. “If Samsung workers succeed in this endeavor, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” stated Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, in an interview with AFP.