To Put Pressure on Management for Wage Hikes

Unionized Kia Motors workers have voted for a strike.

Unionized Kia Motors workers decided on Nov. 3 to stage a strike. Approximately 90 percent of the 29,261 workers participated in the voting and 73.3 percent of the participants voted for a strike whereas dissenting votes stood at 15.8 percent. 

Earlier, the workers applied for labor dispute arbitration by the National Labor Relations Commission on Oct. 26. With more than half of the workers in favor of a strike, they can stage a lawful strike at any time once the commission turns down the request. The commission is likely to reach its conclusion on Nov. 5. The workers already staged strikes for eight years in a row until last year. 

They are likely to put more pressure on the management during this year’s wage negotiations and collective bargaining once the rights to go on strike are given. At present, their demands include an increase in base pay of 120,000 won, sharing of 30 percent of last year’s operating profit, retirement age adjustment from 60 to 65, expanded ordinary wage application, worker directorship and insourcing of key electric vehicle parts. 

Kia Motors reflected 1,259.2 billion won in quality control costs in its Q3 business performance with regard to engine defects and the like. The workers are claiming that the company intentionally reduced the performance in order to cut back on their wages and welfare benefits and are calling for the board to step down. 

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