Threat with Joint Strikes
The trade unions of employees working for Hyundai Motor Group subsidiaries that are affiliated with the Korean Metal Workers’ Union of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a meeting on October 5 and decided to go on a general strike once the South Korean government resorts to emergency arbitration. The trade unions are divided into those in Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors, Hyundai Rotem, Hyundai Steel, Hyundai Kefico, etc. They have a total of 98,000 members, including approximately 44,000 members of the Hyundai Motor Company labor union.
The Korean Metal Workers’ Union is also planning to hold a meeting on October 11. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a general strike, in which all the 240 firms and 154,000 labor union members are to participate, in the event of the government’s emergency arbitration to deal with the ongoing strike by Hyundai Motor Company employees.
In the meantime, the government expressed its opposition to the general strike, saying that it is highly likely to be an illegal walkout. “Going on strike with a separate labor union with regard to an issue related to one union is illegal and the government will take stern action against any illegal walkout,” the Ministry of Employment & Labor mentioned.
Employment & Labor Minister Lee Ki-kwon said on September 28 that the government will take emergency arbitration into account if the ongoing strike by Hyundai Motor Company workers continues. Once emergency arbitration is put into effect, a labor union it targets cannot stage a strike for 30 days and the National Labor Relations Commission initiates its mediation procedure.