On December 5, as the relay strike by the National School Irregular Workers' Solidarity Conference began, substitute meals were provided instead of regular school lunches at 327 schools in Gyeongnam Province.
The Gyeongnam Office of Education announced that out of 1,053 elementary, middle, and high schools in the province, 327 schools served substitute meals on this day.
Regular meals were provided at 685 schools, while 41 schools did not serve any meals due to adjustments in their academic schedules.
It was reported that 2,142 education support staff, accounting for about 16% of the total 13,408 staff members at schools in the province, participated in the general strike by traveling to Seoul for the protest.
Of the 514 elementary after-school care classes, only 2 were not operated, and 34 operated on a reduced scale due to partial participation in the strike; however, most classes proceeded as usual.
All kindergarten after-school programs and special schools operated normally.
The Gyeongnam Office of Education allowed schools to flexibly manage meal services according to the scale of the strike and each school's situation, including reducing or adjusting menus, providing simple meals, offering substitute meals such as bread and milk, and issuing guidelines for students to bring personal lunchboxes.
Additionally, for areas where the absence of staff would have a significant impact, such as the operation of elementary after-school care classes and support for students with special needs, the office provided advance notice to parents and ensured normal operations by utilizing all available staff within the schools.
An official from the provincial office of education stated, "During the strike period, we will focus all our efforts on maintaining normal educational activities and minimizing inconvenience for students and parents."
The Gyeongnam branch of the National School Irregular Workers' Solidarity is holding a press conference to announce a general strike in front of the Gyeongnam Office of Education entrance. Provided by the Gyeongnam branch of the National School Irregular Workers' Solidarity Conference
The National School Irregular Workers' Solidarity Conference has been continuing its relay strike since last month, starting in Sejong and North Chungcheong Province, to demand reforms in the wage system, increases in base salary and holiday bonuses, and livelihood measures for non-working staff during school vacations as part of this year's wage negotiations.
Since July, the Ministry of Education and the offices of education in all 17 cities and provinces have engaged in collective wage negotiations with the union, but failed to narrow their differences. As a result, the strike began with a 91.8% approval rate nationwide, including 86.26% in the Gyeongnam branch, according to the industrial action vote.
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