Unionized railway workers in South Korea said they will launch an indefinite strike next Tuesday, claiming the government failed to keep its promise on bonus payments. The union had shelved a planned strike last week after a tentative deal but announced the action due to no change in stance. The key dispute centers on raising performance bonuses from 80 percent to 100 percent of base pay.
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Yonhap) -- Unionized railway workers said Friday they will launch an indefinite strike next Tuesday at 9 a.m., citing disagreements with the government over bonus payments.
The Korean Railway Workers' Union announced the action after shelving a planned strike last week following a tentative deal on key issues. However, the union claimed the government has failed to keep its promise. One key point of contention is the current compensation system that caps performance bonuses at 80 percent of base pay, with the union demanding it be set at 100 percent like other public institutions.
"The essence of the current situation is an issue of trust, not wages," the union said in a statement. "How can rail workers trust the government and work when even the finance ministry does not keep its promise."
Along with the strike, the union plans to hold rallies near the presidential office in central Seoul on Tuesday. The action could disrupt rail services significantly, highlighting the urgent need for trust-building between the government and workers.
The union stated it would continue the indefinite strike unless the government's stance changes.
