POSCO Union: "The Chairman Must Be Someone Who Understands the Hardships of Steelworkers"

"Cannot Trust Huchuwi"

The Korea Federation of Trade Unions POSCO Labor Union (POSCO Union), the representative negotiating union of POSCO, stated on the 6th, two days before the final selection of the next chairman candidate, that "a chairman who can understand and respect the grievances of steelworkers, POSCO, and the steel industry must be appointed."

The POSCO Union held a press conference at Pohang City Hall in Gyeongbuk on the same day, asserting, "We must not forget that POSCO's roots are in steel, and that most of the current operating profits come from steel."

The union said, "Today's POSCO was built on the blood price of our ancestors and the ideology of steelmaking for national prosperity, with the persistent sense of mission of employees who want to repay this." It added, "However, during Chairman Jeong Jun-yang's tenure, the company's foundation was shaken by octopus-like management under the pretext of business diversification," and claimed, "Chairman Choi Jeong-woo neglected steel and even separated it into subsidiaries."

It continued, "Negotiations with an unrespected management led to a strike on the brink for the first time since the company's founding, and conflicts with the local community also reached a peak," adding, "Now, we must break this vicious cycle."

On the 6th, Kim Seong-ho, chairman of the POSCO Labor Union, is reading a statement in the briefing room of Pohang City Hall. [Photo by POSCO Labor Union]

The union raised doubts about the credibility of the CEO Candidate Recommendation Committee. The union said, "The committee seems to be swayed only by the current management's influence and does not listen to the labor union, which can act as a self-purifying force within POSCO," and added, "We cannot trust the opaque screening process that excludes even the labor union amid various judicial risks and controversies such as a luxurious board of directors and meeting disruptions."

The union stated, "We will monitor whether an interest cartel is formed between the current management and the recommendation committee," and said, "A chairman who can coexist with the labor union, which can act as a self-purifying force within POSCO, and who can present a future-oriented vision rather than short-term performance without being swayed by political circles must be appointed."

Kim Seong-ho, the union chairman, criticized the recommendation committee for bypassing the union's opinion, asking, "Who was asked about the chairman's leadership? The chairman's leadership is evaluated by the employees, so who evaluated it without consulting the labor union?" Earlier, the recommendation committee explained that they selected final candidates with excellent expertise and leadership capabilities.

Kim Seong-ho, Chairman of the POSCO Labor Union Photo by POSCO Labor Union

Chairman Kim said, "In 2020, only employees were on leave due to the impact of COVID-19, and during the nonstop restoration work day and night on weekends caused by Typhoon Hinnamnor in 2022, the management was discussing stock grants," adding, "The management shows no exemplary leadership while only employees are sacrificed in emergency management situations."

The recommendation committee disclosed six candidates for the next chairman of POSCO Holdings on the 31st of last month and will conduct in-depth interviews with the candidates on the 7th and 8th, then finalize and announce the final candidate on the afternoon of the 8th.

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