Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2895388

City subway strike is averted, for now

September 27, 2008
The union representing workers on lines No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the subway put off a planned strike yesterday while negotiations with management continued. Operations were normal.

The labor union originally planned a work stoppage beginning at 5 a.m. yesterday to protest the reorganization of the state-operated company. The postponement, however, does not mean that there will be no strike.

Union members said that they will hold a meeting by Sept. 30 to decide the new timetable for a job action.

Both the management and the labor union held a 10-hour marathon negotiating session starting at 2 p.m. Wednesday in an attempt to reach an agreement. Talks broke off around 12:30 a.m. yesterday.

Union members said they had to quit the talks and delay the strike because management claimed that the union�s plan did not meet the legal requirement that 65.7 percent of the workforce must show up during normal workdays and 50 percent must be present on weekends. The law is meant to protect operations that provide vital public services.

Currently, there are about 10,000 unionized Seoul Metro employees. President Lee Myung-bak�s administration plans to fire some 2,088 workers, accounting for about 20 percent of the total workforce, by 2010.

�We think that there is a different viewpoint between the two bodies about the manpower supply in case of a strike,� said Park In-nam, an official of the labor union. �We are seeking advice from the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission.�

Meanwhile, management said it was ready to resume the negotiations at any time.

�We think the labor union is not fully ready to go on a strike. We will continue to try to conclude negotiations,� said Kim Sung-jin, a Seoul Metro official. �We think no one wants to stop the public transportation, because it would inconvenience so many commuters.�


By Park Sang-woo Staff Reporter [[email protected]]

[wylies99]

Praise the LORD.

[Milwaukiedave]

I'm glad to hear they didn't strike yet. Thankfully I don't have to commute, so most of my subway usage is on the weekends. It sounds to me like there is still a good likelyhood of a strike. If I go anywhere next weekend, I'm planning on trying to avoid using the subway.

[sojusucks]

Yea. That means that I can travel using the subway!