Samsung employees demanding improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike into 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 that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU workers declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the workplace improvements they sought.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number currently on indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted to be the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, fueled by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first three months of 2024. However, the NSEU has highlighted that workers have not seen corresponding increases in their wages despite these record profits.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the most advanced computer chips globally are manufactured, as stated by AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiations with its workforce.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this undertaking, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” remarked Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, in a comment to AFP.