[Asia Economy Reporter Lim On-yu] The tower crane union has launched a full-scale strike.
The construction industry expects that while short-term strikes can be endured by carrying out substitute work, if the strike prolongs, disruptions to construction schedules will be inevitable.
On the 8th, tower crane operations at apartment and building construction sites nationwide have mostly come to a halt.
According to the Korea Construction Association and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, as tower crane union members launched a full strike on this day, it is estimated that about 70% (around 3,000 units) of the approximately 4,200 cranes operating nationwide have stopped working.
Concerns over construction delays are rising as tower cranes have stopped at major construction sites in Seoul as well.
At the Gaepo Jugong 1 Complex reconstruction site in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, currently 19 tower cranes have ceased operation.
The current progress rate is about 20%, with underground structural work underway, and tower cranes are used for moving materials such as rebar.
At the Dunchon Jugong Apartment reconstruction site in Dunchon-dong, Gangdong-gu, considered the largest-scale reconstruction project in history, 14 tower cranes have also stopped.
The progress rate at this site is currently around 26%, and tower crane operations have been completely suspended while other processes continue.
Posco Construction is also affected by the tower crane strike at sites nationwide, including Geoje in Gyeongnam and Yangpyeong in Gyeonggi.
According to labor relations law, employers cannot hire or substitute personnel unrelated to the business to perform work stopped due to a dispute during the period of the dispute.
Due to this provision, sites that urgently need tower cranes are unable to deploy substitute workers.
This tower crane strike began as the union demanded wage increases along with strengthened safety management for small tower cranes.
In a press conference on the day, the Construction Union stated, "Although the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport deregistered or ordered corrections for 12 models of small tower cranes, totaling 369 units, that violated safety standards, they have been brazenly used at sites," adding, "We are going on strike to protect the safety of citizens and the lives of construction workers."
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