Changwon City Buses Resume Normal Operations ... Labor-Management Agreement Reached

The nine city bus companies in Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, which had been at an impasse over wage and collective bargaining negotiations, have finally reached an agreement.

At around 4:50 PM on June 2, Changwon City sent out a safety alert message to announce the settlement of the labor-management negotiations.

On June 2 at around 5 PM, after the strike ended, Changwon City Bus No. 100 is running next to Jeongwoo Shopping Center. Photo by Lee Seryung

The city buses, which had stopped operating from the first bus on May 28, withdrew their strike and returned to the roads starting at around 5 PM on this day, as soon as vehicle inspections were completed.

Previously, at around 10 PM on June 1, about 30 people, including representatives from Changwon City, the nine city bus companies, and the labor union, held an all-night negotiation session in the second conference room at city hall, but only confirmed their differences.

Changwon City, which operates a quasi-public bus system, was burdened by the increasing annual financial support, and both labor and management could not narrow their differences over the scope of ordinary wage application.

After the labor-management negotiations for city buses were settled, the electronic display at a bus stop near Woni-daero in Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, is showing the bus arrival times again. Photo by Lee Seryung

In the negotiations that continued for two days, both sides reached an agreement at around 4:30 PM on this day on a mediation proposal presented by the Labor Relations Commission. The proposal included a 30% wage increase, extending the retirement age from 63 to 64, and providing childbirth incentives.

The major issue of restructuring the ordinary wage system will be determined according to the outcome of ongoing litigation.

Jang Geumyong, acting mayor of Changwon, said, "I sincerely apologize for the concern and inconvenience caused to citizens by this strike," and added, "Since city buses are the only means of public transportation in our city, this must have left an even greater wound for our citizens."

He emphasized, "I hope that both city bus operators and union members will not forget that guaranteeing citizens' right to mobility must always come first."