Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their protest.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as reported by the Associated Press.
This rally followed initial wage negotiation talks between the union and Samsung, which took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU workers began an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the workplace improvements they sought.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number of those participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this strike is recorded as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung projects its second-quarter revenue to increase by more than 1,450% year-over-year, largely attributed to a surge in AI technology. The company also reported a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding increases in their wages despite these substantial profits.
Many striking workers are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, which produce some of the most advanced computer chips globally, as noted by AFP.
Experts point out that Samsung has a history of opposing unions and lacks experience in negotiations with its own workforce. “If Samsung workers succeed in this undertaking, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” stated Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.