Seoul Metro Primary Union Withdraws Strike After Dramatic Wage and Collective Bargaining Agreement

Agreement Reached on Workforce Expansion and Wage Increase
Second and Third Unions Also Near Settlement

The wage and collective bargaining agreement negotiations between labor and management at Seoul Metro, which operates subway lines 1 to 8 in Seoul, were dramatically concluded.

Seoul Metro and the first union, the Seoul Metro Union affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, signed the agreement around 6 a.m. on the 12th.

The wage and collective bargaining agreement negotiations between labor and management of Seoul Metro, which operates subway lines 1 to 8 in Seoul, were concluded around 6 a.m. on the 12th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung, showing the area around Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station on Seoul Subway Line 2 in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Previously, labor and management began their final main negotiations at the company headquarters in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, around 1 p.m. the previous day, but adjourned after 40 minutes. Despite lengthy practical negotiations continuing into the early morning, the two sides failed to narrow their differences. As a result, the union declared the breakdown of talks at around 3:30 a.m. and announced a general strike starting with the first trains at 5:30 a.m.

However, after management presented an improved proposal, both sides returned to the negotiating table at around 5:35 a.m. and reached an agreement.

Regarding the key issue of workforce replenishment, labor and management agreed to promptly hire 820 new employees, both to replace those retiring at the mandatory retirement age and to address additional vacancies. They also agreed to restore wage increases to the 3% range in line with public institution guidelines.

Kim Taegyun, head of the first union, stated, "We also reached agreements to resolve the wage reduction issue, normalize ordinary wage payments, and begin improving the working environment related to the cluster of blood cancer cases starting next year." He added, "It is regrettable that years of labor-management conflict and severe difficulties have resulted from the city's misguided restructuring policies. We urge the city and Seoul Metro to shift their management focus from repeated workforce reduction and so-called innovation plans that fuel labor-management conflict, to a management approach prioritizing safe operations."

Meanwhile, following the first union, the wage and collective bargaining agreement with the second union, the Seoul Metro Integrated Union affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, was also concluded around 6:35 a.m. The agreement with the third union, the Right Union, is also expected to be finalized soon.