Seoul City Bus Labor-Management Agreement Reached... Normal Operations Resume from First Departure on the 15th

With the wage and collective bargaining negotiations between Seoul city bus labor and management concluding on January 14, buses will resume normal operations from the first departure on January 15.

The Seoul City Bus Labor Union and the management, represented by the Seoul City Bus Transportation Business Association, reached a final agreement on the mediation proposal for the wage and collective bargaining negotiations at the second post-mediation meeting of the special mediation committee on labor disputes, held at the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission at around 11:50 p.m. on the same day.

Yonhap News Agency

As a result, the bus union will call off the general strike that began on January 13 after two days and resume normal operations from the first departure on January 15.

The mediation proposal agreed upon by both labor and management includes a 2.9% wage increase and an extension of the retirement age. Previously, the union had requested a 3% wage increase and had agreed to discuss the issue of ordinary wages at a later date.

With both sides agreeing to the mediation proposal, the city will lift the emergency transportation measures implemented in preparation for the strike and restore normal public transportation operations.

Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon stated, "I welcome the decision of both labor and management of the city bus system, who, despite difficult circumstances, continued dialogue and made concessions to reach an agreement," adding, "I am deeply grateful to every citizen for their mature attitude in maintaining order and understanding amidst the confusion."