Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages demonstrated in a substantial rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their action against the tech giant.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in a march at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This protest followed preliminary wage negotiations between the union and Samsung, held on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after earlier efforts to secure workplace improvements were unsuccessful. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many have joined the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this strike is noted as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung anticipates a staggering 1,450% year-over-year increase in revenue for the second quarter, driven by a surge in AI technology, and it reported a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. Despite these record gains, the NSEU argues that workers are not receiving pay raises.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a history of opposing unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, remarked that a successful outcome for Samsung workers could strengthen the labor movement across South Korea.