Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their protests into the third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the demonstration, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports.
This rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday.
Workers from the NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not result in the workplace improvements they sought.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are currently on indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this strike is noted to be the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung projecting a substantial increase in second-quarter revenue—reportedly over 1,450% year-over-year due to the AI boom—and a tenfold rise in profits for the first three months of 2024, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding increases in their wages despite these record earnings.
Many of the striking employees are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, which produce some of the most advanced computer chips globally.
Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly toward unions and lacks substantial experience in negotiations with its workforce.
If the Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could strengthen the labor movement across South Korea, according to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.