Agreement Reached on Labor-Management Mediation Plan
Including 2.6% Base Salary Increase and Higher Accident-Free Allowance
Foundation Laid for Sustainable Public Transportation
Through Stabilization of the Semi-Public System and Improved Working Conditions
Chuncheon City: "Smooth Negotiations Without Inconvenience to Citizens, a Model of Mutual Cooperation"
The labor and management of Chuncheon Citizen Bus Co., which operates city buses in the Chuncheon area, have reached a final agreement on wage negotiations.
Yook Donghan, Mayor of Chuncheon (center), is taking a commemorative photo with Gang Yeonsul, CEO of Chuncheon Citizen Bus, and Ham Chansik, Chairman of the Korean Federation of Trade Unions, after reaching a final agreement on wage negotiations on the 2nd. Provided by Chuncheon City
Chuncheon Citizen Bus, led by CEO Gang Yeonsul, and the Korean Federation of Trade Unions, chaired by Ham Chansik, produced a final agreement at 10:10 p.m. after about six hours of discussions during the second mediation meeting held on the 2nd. This outcome follows five official negotiations and numerous informal talks since April.
The mediation plan includes a 2.6% increase in base salary, an increase in the accident-free allowance, improvements to working conditions, and the establishment of a mutually respectful labor-management culture. The agreement is seen as laying the foundation for the sustainable operation of Chuncheon's semi-public city bus system and for improving the treatment of transportation workers.
In particular, Gang Yeonsul, CEO of Chuncheon Citizen Bus, played a key role in building trust and changing the atmosphere between labor and management by directly communicating with transportation workers, explaining the necessity of the negotiations, and persuading them about the city's financial situation.
The union also took a forward-looking approach by partially adjusting its wage demands to minimize inconvenience for citizens and to uphold a cooperative labor-management culture, thereby paving the way for the agreement.
Previously, Yook Donghan, Mayor of Chuncheon, had made continuous efforts to facilitate smooth negotiations, meeting with both labor and management in the early morning on the day of the second mediation. At that meeting, Mayor Yook urged, "As partners in providing public services for citizens, I ask you to reach an amicable agreement with a sense of responsibility so that there is no inconvenience to the public."
The Gangwon Regional Labor Relations Commission also acted as a mediator during the second mediation session, helping to coordinate positions between labor and management and foster a constructive negotiating atmosphere, which contributed to reaching the agreement.
Since July 2023, Chuncheon City has been operating a semi-public city bus system through an agreement with Chuncheon Citizen Bus Co. to provide stable and highly public transportation services. A city official stated, "This smooth negotiation without inconvenience to citizens is a model case of labor and management cooperating for mutual benefit," and added, "We will continue to actively support city bus operations that prioritize citizens above all else."
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