Union Suspends Refusal of Driving Duties
Final Practical Negotiation Held Today
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Seoul Subway Lines 1 to 8 are operating normally.
Seoul Metro announced that as of 4 a.m. on the 21st, the Seoul Metro Labor Union has postponed its planned refusal to perform train operation duties and has returned to work.
The previous day, the Seoul Metro Labor Union held a press conference at 10 a.m., stating, "Starting tomorrow, we will refuse illegal and unfair work orders," and announced, "Train operators will not operate trains."
The dispute between labor and management, which has lasted for over two months, centers on the 12-minute extension of train operators' driving time. The union insists that the company’s extension of driving time by 12 minutes is illegal and should be withdrawn, while the company maintains that the 12-minute extension is unavoidable according to employment regulations to accommodate employee leave.
However, the management held an emergency press conference at 3:30 p.m. on the 20th, fearing a transportation crisis ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. The company stated, "There should be no inconvenience to citizens," and decided to temporarily suspend the adjustment of the 12-minute driving time extension.
Subsequently, practical negotiations between labor and management continued until 3 a.m. on the 21st, and the union decided to return to the field as of 4 a.m. Labor and management will hold an official practical negotiation on the 21st to discuss the matter further.
Although the last-minute agreement between labor and management averted a subway strike, the conflict remains unresolved.
In a previous press release, the company reiterated its position, stating, "Excessive holiday work caused by not fulfilling the driving time stipulated in the employment regulations must be changed for the health of crew members and the safety of citizens," and "It is also necessary to change the situation where some train operators nearing retirement focus on holiday work to inflate their average wages and receive higher retirement benefits." According to the company, out of 12.9 billion KRW in overtime pay in 2018, more than 95%, or 12.5 billion KRW, was paid to the crew sector.
On the other hand, the union explained that although the driving time is extended by 12 minutes on average, considering the nature of crew work where shift changes during train operation are difficult, some actual working hours increase by up to two hours, causing a heavy burden. The union's position is that even if discussions proceed after restoring the original conditions, the extension of working hours is unacceptable.
Choi Jeong-gyun, Acting President of Seoul Metro, said, "We sincerely apologize for causing concern to the citizens," and added, "We will continue to do our best to improve citizen safety and service based on a model labor-management relationship of mutual concession and cooperation."
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