7 University Hospitals, Going on Simultaneous Strike Tomorrow

Labor unions of 7 University hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital and Korea University Hospital are going on a strike on the 16th.

Korean Health and Medical Workers Union (KHMWU) announced on the 14th that the labor unions of 4 National University Hospitals of Seoul, Kyoungbook, Kyoungsang and Chunbook, and 3 private university hospitals of Korea, Youngnam and Wonkwang University would go on a strike, unless an agreement on collective bargaining and wage is reached until the 15th.

Hanyang University, Ewha Woman`s University and Dongah University Hospitals that initially planned to join the joint strike withdrew from the plan for reasons of coming to an agreement on collective agreement and wage negotiations. Chunnam University Hospital withdrew from the plan because the issue of labor actions was voted down.

Among the hospitals that have given a warning on the strike, Seoul National University recorded the largest number of union members to participate in the strike, with 2100 people; next was Korea University with 1730 people, Youngnam University with 813, Wonkwang University with 682, Kyoungbook Uiversity with 685, Chunbook University with 630 and Kyoungsang University with 599.

These unions will meet on the eve of the strike on the 15th, and will assemble before the National Assembly at Youido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, and Gwacheon Government Complex on the 16th and the 18th. Kyunghee Medical Center and Catholic Medical Center (Kangnam St. Mary`s Hospital, Youido St. Mary`s Hospital and Uijeongbu St. Mary`s Hospital), which went on a long strike last year, will apply for labor dispute arbitration soon and materialize plans for future strikes. However, KHMWU is claiming that if the management does not call for compulsory arbitration to the Labor Committee nor take aggressive counter-measures, Emergency Rooms and Operation Rooms will be functioning as usual, and that the strikes will not affect other areas of its normal medical functions.

An official of KHMWU said that “it is the basic principle of the labor to settle the problems by dialogues and negotiations without going on strikes,” and that “concrete schedules for strikes will be made public at the press conference on the 15th.” The common issue requested by the University hospital labor to the management is sincere collective negotiation on industrial level. Most hospitals agreed last year to hold industrial negotiations, but changed their attitudes because work conditions differ greatly according to hospitals and it is difficult to form a user group. Other main requests of the labor are wage increase, supplement of personnel, making irregular jobs regular etc.

Kyung-Joon Chung news91@donga.com