Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and increased wages staged a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their strike against the company.
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 talks held between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements for its members.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the specific number participating in the indefinite strike has not been disclosed. Nonetheless, this strike is noted to be the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue, largely attributed to an AI boom, and reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU argues that workers are not benefiting from these record financial gains.
Many strikers are involved in the foundry operations, where some of the most advanced computer chips globally are produced, as noted by AFP.
Experts point out that Samsung has a reputation for being hostile to unions and lacks experience in negotiations with its employees.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this effort, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” remarked Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, in comments to AFP.