Strike Action Approval Vote Passed with 71% Support
Normal Operation Maintained Except for Some Time Slots During Strike
The Seoul Metro Workers' Union, which operates Seoul Subway Lines 1 to 8, has approved a strike motion following a breakdown in wage negotiations with management.
The Seoul Metro Workers' Union, the company’s primary union, announced on the 18th that the strike vote held from the 15th to the 18th was approved with about 71% in favor. Of the 9,450 union members, 7,862 (83.2%) participated in the vote. Among them, 5,547 voted in favor, resulting in a 70.55% approval rate.
Previously, the labor and management sides held four main negotiations and 15 working-level talks by the end of last month but failed to reach an agreement. Consequently, the union applied for labor dispute mediation with the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission on the 1st.
The company proposed a 2.5% wage increase for next year and announced plans to reduce personnel as part of management innovation. However, the union insisted on expanding new hires and demanded a higher wage increase rate.
On the same day, the union held a Central Strike Countermeasures Committee meeting to set future struggle policies and plans to hold a press conference in front of Seoul City Hall on the 19th to announce specific strike schedules. However, even if the union goes on strike, Lines 1 to 8 will operate normally except for some time periods. Seoul City and the company plan to maintain subway transportation functions by securing non-striking workers and employees from partner companies.
Meanwhile, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ National Railway Workers’ Union began a work-to-rule (slowdown) action from today. This has caused some train delays on metropolitan subway Lines 1 and 3 and the Suin-Bundang Line. The railway union is demanding a shift to a four-team two-shift system, reinforcement of insufficient personnel, and a 2.5% flat-rate increase in base pay.
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