School Irregular Workers Union Strike, Some Schools in Jeonnam Replace Meals with Bread and Milk

The Jeonnam branch of the School Irregular Workers Solidarity held a strike on the 10th at 10 a.m. in front of the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education, with about 1,000 participants demanding a wage increase.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-gyeong] As the National School Irregular Workers Solidarity entered a general strike on the 20th, meal service and childcare were disrupted in some schools in the Jeonnam region.

According to the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education, out of the total 5,600 members of the Jeonnam branch of the School Irregular Workers Solidarity, 1,000 participated in the strike.

The Solidarity is an organization formed by three unions: the Public Transport Workers' Union National Education Public Officials Headquarters, the National School Irregular Workers Union, and the National Women’s Union.

They are demanding ▲a 9% increase in base salary ▲an increase in longevity allowance (a 50,000 KRW increase per grade, removal of the upper limit, recognition of experience) ▲payment of additional longevity allowance ▲holiday leave pay ▲customized welfare expenses, meal expenses, and family allowances (equal to those of public officials).

Due to the strike, out of 864 schools in the Jeonnam region, 690 schools provided normal meals, while the remaining 174 schools implemented substitute meals with bread and milk.

Two special schools, Naju Ihwa School and Yeosu Yeomyeong School, also conducted shortened classes due to staff participation in the strike.

The Provincial Office of Education and frontline schools actively utilized non-striking staff within schools to ensure the normal operation of childcare rooms and meal services so that students would not suffer any disadvantages.

A representative from the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education stated, “91% of schools in the Jeonnam region operated meal services normally, and fortunately, there was no major confusion. For schools where meal service was difficult, we provided bread and milk to do our best to prevent students from being adversely affected.”

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