Dramatic Agreement Reached Between Changwon City Bus Labor and Management Just Before First Bus Departure Time

by Lee Seryeong

Published 26 Apr.2022 11:21(KST)

Updated 10 Aug.2025 11:04(KST)

Agreement on 7.5% Wage Increase Reached Around 5 AM on the 26th

Public bus depot in Deokdong-dong, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam. <br>[Image source=Yonhap News]

Public bus depot in Deokdong-dong, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The labor and management of city bus companies in Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, reached a dramatic agreement early on the 26th, relieving citizens who were worried about a bus strike.

The city bus labor and management in Changwon-si entered the final mediation by the Gyeongnam Regional Labor Commission from 6 p.m. on the 25th and reached an agreement on a 7.5% wage increase around 5 a.m. on the 26th.

The seven bus companies began joint negotiations on March 15 and held a total of eight rounds of talks.

They failed to narrow the gap between the transportation companies, whose management conditions worsened due to a decrease in public transportation users, and the labor union demanding to resolve the wage gap with Busan-si, a city implementing the quasi-public operation system.

On the 11th, a mediation application was submitted to the Gyeongnam Regional Labor Commission, and on the 19th, the union held a vote to decide on a strike if negotiations failed, but after two mediation meetings, an agreement was reached.

The union insisted on an 11.3% wage increase to compensate for the wage difference with nearby quasi-public operation cities after the implementation of the quasi-public operation system and wage freeze last year, but considering the transportation companies’ financial difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, they agreed to gradually resolve the wage gap.

A representative of the Changwon-si New Transportation Promotion Team said, “Despite difficult conditions such as the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and rising fuel costs, it is truly fortunate that wage negotiations were successful and that citizens did not suffer inconvenience from a city bus strike,” adding, “We will do our best to establish an advanced transportation system to ensure there is no inconvenience in using city buses.”