Healthcare Workers' Union to Hold General Strike on the 2nd of Next Month

On June 23, representatives of the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions tied headbands after wearing protective suits at a rally held in front of the Ministry of Health and Welfare at the Sejong Government Complex in Sejong, urging the expansion of public healthcare, eradication of illegal medical practices, proper compensation payments, regularization of non-regular workers, and the introduction of a four-day workweek.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The National Health and Medical Industry Labor Union will launch a full-scale strike on the 2nd of next month.

Na Soon-ja, Chairperson of the Health and Medical Labor Union, held a press conference on the morning of the 27th at the Health and Medical Labor Union office in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, stating, "With a voter turnout of 81.8% and an approval rate of 89.8%, the Health and Medical Labor Union's full strike has been approved," and added, "If the government does not present a clear solution to the demands for workforce expansion and public healthcare expansion, we will proceed with a full strike starting at 7 a.m. on September 2 as scheduled." In this vote, 45,892 out of 56,091 union members participated, with 41,191 voting in favor.

She emphasized, "This is the most desperate strike called for by frontline healthcare workers pushed to the brink, unable to endure any longer due to COVID-19, aimed at preventing the collapse of quarantine and medical services caused by exhaustion, burnout, and resignations of medical personnel."

On the 17th of last month, 124 branches of the Health and Medical Labor Union submitted a dispute adjustment request to the Labor Relations Commission, presenting ‘8 major demands’ including the prompt establishment of infectious disease specialized hospitals, expansion of public hospitals, and legislation on the number of patients per nurse. The union and the Ministry of Health and Welfare held marathon final negotiations for 11 hours the day before but ultimately failed to reach an agreement on key issues such as workforce expansion.

A representative of the Health and Medical Labor Union stated, "The consensus at present is that it is difficult to accept the proposals presented by the government," and added, "In some workplaces, there is a hardline stance to proceed with the strike regardless of the negotiation results, saying 'We absolutely cannot endure anymore.'"

Concerns are rising that frontline medical sites could collapse if the full strike materializes. The union maintains that as the strike is classified as a ‘essential public service,’ minimum essential personnel will be assigned to life-critical tasks such as emergency rooms, intensive care units, delivery rooms, and neonatal units, where striking is not permitted.

Lee Chang-jun, Director of Health and Medical Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "There are issues where mutual opinions have been narrowed through practical negotiations with the Health and Medical Labor Union the day before, but there are still parts where positions differ," adding, "Since COVID-19 is still in a pandemic situation, both the government and the union agree that going on strike is undesirable, and the government plans to actively pursue additional consultations to prevent the strike from occurring."

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