Hyundai Motor Union Decides to Go on a Strike Without a Vote

The labor union of Hyundai Motor Company decided to stage a two-day partial strike on January 15 and 17 in protest of the company’s reduction of its year-end incentives.

The unionized workers agreed in yesterday’s committee meeting to go on a four-hour strike on January 15 and a six-hour strike on January 17, during both the day and night shifts. They intend to go back to work on January 16, urging the management to negotiate with them, and to schedule further strikes at a meeting on January 17.

The union reached a unanimous agreement to the strike at a meeting held yesterday morning in which some 300 representatives participated. It formed a 21-member committee that includes six administration executives and nine representatives from each business division.

It also delayed an election for the next president of the union scheduled for late this month.

At the meeting, some called for a vote, citing that most of the unionized workers are negative toward a strike, which was not accepted by the hard-line administration members. If the union is to decide to stage a strike through a vote, more than two-thirds of representatives must vote for the strike.

The company says, “If the union launches a strike, that is clearly illegal because it would be a strike for an already agreed-upon issue, not for a new working condition,” adding, “If the union pushes forward with the strike, we will bring additional charges both in civil and criminal courts against union leaders.”

Labor Minister Lee Sang-su said, “It is never right that the Hyundai Motor union attempts to solve the problem with force,” adding, “As the union sued the company for the failure of full payment of the year-end bonus, what they should do is to wait for the prosecution’s conclusion.”

About 115 civic groups, including Ulsan Women Groups’ Association, held a press conference at the Ulsan City Hall yesterday and said, “If the union repeats the outdated and wrong practice of a strike, it will be subjected to severe criticism from the public.”

raks@donga.com