Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages staged a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike against the company 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 negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU workers initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the desired improvements in workplace conditions.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the specific number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is now recognized as the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung predicting a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue, largely due to advancements in artificial intelligence, and reporting a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims that employees are not receiving corresponding pay raises.
Many striking employees are involved in the foundry operations, where they produce some of the world’s most sophisticated computer chips, according to AFP.
Experts note that Samsung has a well-documented history of being hostile toward unions and lacks experience in labor negotiations.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, indicated that if Samsung workers achieve their goals, it would bolster the labor movement across South Korea.