Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and increased wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) organized a march at 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 desired workplace improvements.
Although the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, the current strike is noted to be the largest in the technology giant’s history.
Samsung anticipates a staggering increase of more than 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU has highlighted that workers have not benefited from the company’s record financial returns.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, known for producing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as noted by AFP.
Experts point out that Samsung has a notorious reputation for being uncooperative with unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its employees.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower laborers across South Korea.