[Will Chosun Stop Again?] Historic First: Countdown to Simultaneous Strikes by Three Hyundai Heavy Industries Group Companies

Union Vote Passed
Securing Legal Right to Strike
"Joint Strike in November"

The Hyundai Heavy Industries labor union is counting the votes for the strike approval referendum on the 26th at the Ulsan headquarters due to difficulties in this year's wage and collective bargaining negotiations. Photo by Hyundai Heavy Industries labor union

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seoyun] The labor unions of the three shipbuilding companies under Hyundai Heavy Industries Group (Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries), which have been facing difficulties in wage and collective bargaining negotiations, have approved a strike. The unions of the three companies plan to secure legal strike rights through subsequent procedures and then initiate a simultaneous strike next month. This will be the first time the three companies strike simultaneously. Given the current surge in orders in the shipbuilding sector and the severe shortage of manpower, a strike is expected to cause significant repercussions.

On the 27th, the Hyundai Heavy Industries union announced that in the vote held from the 24th to the 26th, 63.2% of voters approved the strike. The Hyundai Mipo Dockyard union (71.9% of total members) and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries union (73.8% of total members) also approved the strike.

Accordingly, Hyundai Heavy Industries union, which received a notice of suspension of dispute mediation from the Central Labor Relations Commission on the 21st, is now legally able to strike. Previously, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries also applied for dispute mediation to the Ulsan Regional Labor Relations Commission and Mokpo Regional Labor Relations Commission, respectively. The result of Hyundai Mipo Dockyard's dispute mediation is scheduled for this afternoon, and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries' on the 31st.

The unions of the three shipbuilding companies jointly demand a wage increase of 142,300 KRW (excluding seniority increments), a guaranteed performance bonus of 250% plus additional benefits, abolition of the wage peak system, new hires, and job security. The industry interprets these demands as an attempt by the unions to pressure the group beyond the individual companies.

A Hyundai Heavy Industries union official stated, "Once the results of the dispute mediation applications from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries are announced, we plan to enter a joint strike of the three companies in November," adding, "So far, the management has conducted negotiations at individual workplaces, operating different wage systems and discriminatory welfare programs."

He further explained, "Although the operating profit scales differ, all three companies belong to the same shipbuilding industry, so operating them differently is problematic, which led us to prepare for a joint strike."

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