Kia Workers Join Hyundai Counterparts in Partial Strike

Unionized workers at Kia join their Hyundai counterparts Friday in a partial strike, effectively shutting down operations for four hours at the sister companies’ Korea plants.

Both unions are branches of the Korea Metal Workers Union, which in turn is part of the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, which is calling the tune this year for all of its labor affiliates.

Also walking off the job Friday were workers at GM Korea plants who staged partial strikes to participate in one-day nationwide strikes called for by the KCTU.

Negotiators representing 48,000 Hyundai workers met Thursday with management for a 14th bargaining session, but broke off the talks after just two hours. Both sides say they are far apart on nearly all of their respective demands.

Hyundai says the 4-hour strikes held on each of four days and ending Friday cost it production losses equal to 6,800 vehicles. Both sides issued statements saying talks would not resume until after the nationwide industrial holiday period ending Aug. 8.

Hyundai management also faces labor unrest at other crucial operations.

The KCTU insists the same wage and working conditions it seeks from Hyundai Motor be accepted by all major affiliates, including Kia Motors, parts maker Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Steel. The labor federation wants management teams from all three companies to meet in joint negotiating sessions.

Hyundai management has refused, saying it has no legal obligation to take part in such a meeting.

The government is condemning the Kia strike, saying the local union ignored the strike-notification, -review and cooling-off period provisions within Korean labor law. Officials say Kia workers walked off the job Friday for political reasons unrelated to wage and working conditions so they could join in the nationwide, multi-industry strike called by the KCTU.

Hyundai, Kia Workers Protest Alongside Other Unions

Workers from Hyundai and Kia joined with other unions effectively under KCTU command in demonstrations Friday at Hyundai-Kia joint headquarters in Seoul, outside Korea’s National Assembly and in public places in downtown Seoul.

The KCTU organized the national walkout and protests in opposition to the government’s wage- and industrial-reorganization initiatives. They include guidelines for adopting a performance-based system that awards pay raises based on demonstrated merit and scrapping the current system under which workers with the most seniority receive higher wage increases than newer, younger workers.

Korean President Park Geun-hye’s office announced Friday she is taking a 5-day holiday beginning July 25 to ponder the work-reform packages and determine what action the government may take to force companies and their unions to comply.

Nationwide strikes orchestrated by the KCTU last November resulted in widespread disruptions of business and public life in Seoul, damage to buildings and vehicles, arrests and injuries.

Many union officials were arrested and charged with holding illegal demonstrations, obstructing public and business functions, damaging property and other breaches of the peace. The KCTU president was sentenced to five years in prison and several officers from various unions also received prison sentences, most of which were commuted to suspended sentences.