80% of Workers Opt to Go to Work
Renault Samsung Motors responded to unionized workers’ strike with a partial lockout and yet approximately 80 percent of its executives and staff members working at its facilities in Busan, including union members, opted to go to work.
According to the automaker, 1,700 out of the 2,172 members in the city submitted work applications and worked in the daytime on Jan. 10 and 11. They produced approximately 500 cars during the period and the volume is around 30 percent of the plant’s usual output.
The union and the management of the company resumed their wage negotiations on Jan. 8 but failed to reach any agreement on base pay adjustment until the next day. The union staged a strike without notice during the two days and the management applied the partial lockout starting from Jan. 10 to every union member working at night.
“Due to the guerrilla-style strike, the output is less than 20 percent of the usual volume even with more than 70 percent of the union members in the plant,” the management explained at that time, adding, “The partial lockout is unavoidable for the company’s survival.” Then, the management allowed union members submitting the applications to work in the daytime.