Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and increased salaries gathered for 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) 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 initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements for its members.
While the union claims to represent over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this action is reported to be the largest strike in the history of the technology firm.
Samsung anticipates a staggering 1,450% year-over-year increase in its second-quarter revenue, attributed to a surge in artificial intelligence activity. Additionally, the company noted a tenfold increase in profits during the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU argues that employees are not seeing proportional pay raises in light of these record profits.
Many of the striking employees are engaged in semiconductor production at Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the most advanced computer chips globally, as noted by AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a history of being resistant to union activities 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 achieve their goals, it could empower labor movements throughout South Korea.