HMM Secures Strike Rights for Land Union... Central Labor Relations Commission Decides to Suspend Mediation

Breakdown of 3rd Labor-Management Mediation Meeting
Logistics Chaos Inevitable if Strike Occurs

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] The HMM Land Labor Union has secured the legal right to engage in strike and other collective actions.

According to the shipping industry on the 20th, the Central Labor Relations Commission decided to suspend mediation at the third adjustment meeting between HMM labor and management held the previous day, failing to narrow the gap in positions regarding wages and collective bargaining.

With this decision, the Land Labor Union, having secured the right to take collective action, is expected to soon conduct a strike vote among its members and proceed with strike procedures. If the HMM union goes on strike, it will be the first strike since the company's founding in 1976.

Previously, the management proposed a plan to the union including an 8% wage increase, a 300% encouragement bonus, and a 200% incentive payment after the year-end settlement, but the proposal was rejected as 95% of union members voted against it. The union is demanding a 25% wage increase and a 1200% performance bonus.

The Maritime Labor Union (Seafarers' Union) is also scheduled to enter the second mediation by the Central Labor Relations Commission on the same day, but it is likely to follow a similar course as the Land Labor Union.

If HMM actually goes on strike, the shortage of shipping space for domestic export companies will worsen, making a logistics crisis inevitable.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.