Departure ceremony at Gwangju Songjeong Station... 1,200 union members attend
Demanding "2.5% wage increase and full implementation of 4 trillion 2-shift system"
"This is a struggle to protect the labor, wages, and safety of railroad workers. Do not ignore the earnest demands of the workers. Please do not let the morale of our young workers fall."
When Lee Jong-wook, Chairman of the Honam Headquarters of the Korea Railroad Workers' Union, said this at the indefinite general strike launch ceremony held at Gwangju Songjeong Station at 2 p.m. on the 5th, about 1,200 railroad workers waved placards that read, "Resolve the root cause of wage arrears! Stop outsourcing! Reinforce safety personnel!"
The Railroad Workers' Union had previously negotiated with KORAIL demanding a 2.5% wage increase, resolution of unpaid performance bonuses, and full implementation of the 4-shift 2-team system, but no compromise was reached. As a result, they resumed the general strike after one year and three months since September last year.
At 2 p.m. on the 5th, over 1,000 members of the Public Transport Union Railway Branch Honam Headquarters shouted slogans demanding wage increases and opposing workforce reductions and outsourcing at the Railway Union General Strike Departure Ceremony held at Gwangju Songjeong Station. Photo by Song Bohyun
In the general strike declaration, the Railroad Workers' Union condemned, "The approval of the 4-shift 2-team system was delayed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport citing manpower shortages, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance ignored manpower reinforcement, saying the Ministry of Land's approval was not obtained," adding, "While focusing on outsourcing and workforce reduction, two young railroad workers in their 30s could not return to their parents' arms."
They emphasized, "Just as citizens and the National Assembly prevented martial law and defended democracy, now it is time for railroad workers to step up and save the railroad in crisis."
They further stated, "Our struggle is against irrationality, injustice, and abnormality; it is a fight to open the lifeline of the railroad, which is driven to derailment risk due to the reduction of outsourced personnel, and to strengthen public railroads to protect citizens' safety."
Meanwhile, due to the strike by the Railroad Workers' Union, 29 KTX trains (18 on the Honam Line and 11 on the Jeolla Line) and 22 regular trains (13 on the Honam Line and 9 on the Jeolla Line) in Gwangju and Jeonnam will be suspended in both directions. A union official explained, "Tickets for trains suspended until the end of the strike will be fully refunded, and penalties will be waived for cancellations or changes."
On the 5th, a notice about partial train service suspension and delays was posted at Gwangju Songjeong Station. Photo by Song Bohyun
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