Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and better compensation rallied 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 discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains uncertain. Nonetheless, this strike is now recognized as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projection of a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue, driven by an AI boom, and a tenfold surge in profits during the first three months of 2024, the NSEU contends that employees have not received commensurate pay increases despite the company’s record earnings.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundries, where they produce some of the most advanced computer chips globally.
Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being hostile towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.