Trade Unions to Start Continuous Strikes

Tensions have heightened as trade unions are expected to start full-fledged summer strikes this week. Despite a resolution to the strike by Chohung Bank, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) said in a statement called ‘Our Fight is Not Over’ on June 22 that they decided to go for the general strike scheduled for June 30.

About 200,000 unionized workers of finance, taxi, bus, and other public sectors will join the general strike to negotiate wages and collective agreement. They will also focus on the introduction of a five-day workweek and the abolishment of the special economic area act and the discrimination against non-regular workers.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) will also wage a general strike starting with the Subway Corporation of Busan, Incheon, and Daegu on June 24. The Korean Railway Workers’ Union is expected to join the strike on July 28 and the Korea Metal Worker’s Federation including Hyundai Motors on July 2. The KCTU is planning a four-hour ‘warning’ strike on June 25 in order to urge the government to reform the labor circle.

Kyung-Joon Chung news91@donga.com