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The labor unions of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and Seoul Transportation Corporation, which are in charge of operating railways and subways in the metropolitan area, announced a simultaneous general strike early next month due to the breakdown of wages and collective bargaining.
Following the railroad union, the Seoul Transportation Corporation union is expected to begin a fight for compliance from this day, creating chaos for citizens on their way to and from work.
According to KORAIL and the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 20th, the KORAIL union began fighting for compliance on the 18th. As a result, service disruptions are occurring, with some trains being delayed for more than 20 minutes on metropolitan subway lines 1, 3, and 4, Suin Bundang Line, and Gyeongui-Jungang Line.
As of the morning of the previous day, 150 of the 653 electric trains, or about 23%, were counted as delayed. KTX and regular trains operated normally.
The Seoul Transportation Corporation Union also held a press conference on the same day and announced that it will begin its fight for compliance from the 20th and a general strike starting on the 6th of next month. The union is demanding ▲withdrawal of restructuring, ▲expansion of safety personnel, ▲suspension of the one-person crew system, and ▲resolution of wage cuts.
In addition, the Seoul Metro Line 9 branch of the Public Transport Workers’ Union of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, which covers the section between Eonju Station and Central Veterans Hospital Station on Line 9, also announced plans to go on an indefinite general strike after a warning strike on the 28th.
Labor and management held four main negotiations and 15 working-level negotiations until the end of last month, but the negotiations were not concluded. The union applied for mediation of the labor dispute with the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission on the 1st, and on the 18th, a decision was made to suspend mediation, securing the right to strike.
In the case of Lines 1, 3, and 4, which are jointly operated by KORAIL and Seoul Transportation Corporation, when one union went on strike, the other organizations used temporary trains to compensate for operational disruptions. However, this time, with both unions announcing a strike in early December, alternative management is expected to become difficult.
Even if the union goes on a general strike, train operations are not expected to completely stop due to the deployment of personnel for essential maintenance work and the introduction of replacement personnel. However, as traffic is expected to remain at about 75% of the usual volume, extreme congestion during rush hour is expected to be inevitable. In particular, there are concerns that the inconvenience to citizens will be maximized due to the lack of alternative means of transportation on major routes due to simultaneous strikes.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has established the principle of responding when violations of laws and regulations occur during the law compliance struggle.
Reporter Lee Dong-jun blondie@segye.com
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Source: www.segye.com
