Construction Strike Brings POSCO Projects to a Halt Fears of Bloodshed as Gov’t Vows to Break Up POSCO Strike Struggle for Struggle's Sake Union Workers End Strike at POSCO POSCO Sifts Through Wreckage as Occupation Ends Seoul Police Get Arrest Warrants for POSCO Unionists

In Ulsan, the Hyundai Motor Union has been on strike for 17 days, while the KCTU’s Ulsan chapter downed tools after the city government rejected 10 demands by the labor umbrella including a resolution against a free trade agreement between Korea and the U.S. Thirty thousand people from 25 unions participated in the walkout, the first standoff between unions and a local government.

Trade union members at Hyundai Motor shout slogans at the company’s plant in Ulsan on Wednesday./Yonhap

Striking construction workers have also occupied POSCO’s headquarters in Pohang for a week armed with gas cans and stones. Another 7,000 striking workers went to Pohang from Ulsan for a massive rally on Wednesday.

The KCTU plans another demonstration of workers from across the nation in Pohang next Tuesday. Meanwhil in Gwangju, Kia Motors is seeing a prolonged partial strike.

The loading dock for export cars of Hyundai Motor is empty on Wednesday due to a strike by the automaker’s trade union./Yonhap

According to the Labor Ministry, the strikes had cost Hyundai Motor W1 trillion (US$1=W958) as of Wednesday. Hyundai says the annual strike is hampering exports, and POSCO claims it is losing more than W10 billion a day.

(englishnews@chosun.com )