Gimhae City Bus Union Approves Strike ... Will Citizens Be Left Stranded?

The labor negotiations between four city bus companies in Gimhae, Gyeongnam, which have continued since last year, have ultimately broken down, prompting the union to announce a strike.

The Gyeongnam Regional Automobile Labor Union of the Korea Automobile Workers' Federation held nine rounds of collective bargaining with management from October last year to March this year, but failed to reach an agreement.

After the negotiations collapsed, the union filed a labor dispute application with the Gyeongnam Regional Labor Relations Commission on the 21st of last month and held a strike vote at the four Gimhae city bus companies.

Out of 493 union members who participated in the vote, 454 voted in favor, resulting in a 92% approval rate for the strike.

City bus in Gimhae, Gyeongnam. Photo by Se Ryeong Lee

Previously, the unions of the four companies had demanded from Gimhae City and management: a monthly wage increase of 265,500 won, implementation of the quasi-public bus system, resolution of delayed wage payments, reflection of wage increases in the current transportation cost, union-appointed accountants participating in transportation cost calculation, and the introduction of a three-strike system.

The Gyeongnam Regional Labor Relations Commission plans to hold a second mediation session on the 4th of this month, following the first session on the 31st of last month.

If the second mediation also fails, the union plans to halt operations starting from the first bus on the 5th.

The four companies that have announced the strike operate 59 routes in Gimhae, accounting for 95% of all city buses in the area.

If the union strike begins, only buses operated by SineoBTS, which are not participating in the strike, and buses from Changwon and Busan will run as usual, including routes 911, 912, 913, 1004, 1004 (late night), Changwon 3, 35, 45, 770, 122, 123, and 127.

Gimhae City plans to deploy alternative transportation, such as chartered buses, to minimize inconvenience to citizens in the event of a strike.

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