Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their protest against the tech giant.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation talks between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The union members declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not yield the workplace improvements they were seeking.
While the NSEU claims representation for over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear exactly how many are participating in the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this protest is noted as the largest in the history of the company.
Samsung has projected an impressive second-quarter revenue increase of over 1,450% year-on-year, attributed to a boom in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. Despite these financial successes, NSEU asserts that workers are not benefitting from pay increases.
Many of those on strike are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they produce advanced computer chips. Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this effort, it could strengthen labor movements across South Korea,” stated Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.