Seoul Subway to Begin Total Strike from 30th... Labor-Management Negotiations Fail

First General Strike in 6 Years Since 2016

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Myunghwan] The Seoul Metro Workers' Union, which operates the Seoul subway, will go on strike starting from the first train on the 30th.

The joint bargaining group, composed of the two major unions (Seoul Metro Union and the Integrated Union), declared the final breakdown of negotiations with management around 10 p.m. on the 29th.

On the same day at 2 p.m., labor and management resumed negotiations on wages and collective agreements (wage and collective agreement negotiations) at the headquarters in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, which had been suspended the previous day, but the session was adjourned after 10 minutes.

Afterwards, the union held meetings regarding the management's proposal and seemed to narrow differences, but ultimately failed to resume the main negotiations and unanimously declared the breakdown of talks.

The Seoul Metro Union's strike is the first in six years since September 2016, based on lines 1 to 8. Seoul Metro operates subway lines 1 to 8 and phases 2 and 3 of line 9 (Sinnonhyeon to Jungang Veterans Hospital).