The Hyundai Motor labor union rallied in front of company headquarters in Yangjae-dong on Wednesday demanding the company pay them an additional 50 percent bonus for their work last year. The union leadership expected some 3,000 workers to attend but only half of them braved the cold, including some 600 who had been bussed in from the Ulsan factory. After the rally, they delivered a letter to the company before dispersing at 4:30 p.m. "If the bonus issue is not resolved by Thursday, we will set up a committee and go on strike next week,¡± Hyundai Motor Workers Union head Park Yoo-ki declared.
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Hyundai Motor union members are headed for the front gate of the company headquarters in Seoul to deliver a letter of protest on Wednesday.
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The automaker said it was clear the protest failed to win broad support from unionized workers and expressed hope that they will stop their ¡°pointless¡± struggle for an additional bonus and return to work. ¡°We should take this opportunity to establish new labor relations which abide by the law,¡± it said. Hyundai decided to hold workers who stayed away from work to attend the rally to account for absence without leave.
Labor Minister Lee Sang-soo said if the Hyundai Motor union uses force, the government will deal with it strictly according to law. But he added, "We need to confirm first whether there was any behind-the-scenes agreement on the issue between the union and management, It¡¯s difficult for the government to intervene in or take any stance on the matter¡± for now. The Federation of Korean Industries in a statement urged the union to abandon its struggle, show ¡°a mature attitude¡± and return to work. The Democratic Labor Party's office in Ulsan called for dialogue between the union and management.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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