|
Union officials at Hyundai Motor on Friday voted to strike despite a difficult business environment for their employer. The automaker warned it will take tough steps, including legal measures. Labor relations have been volatile since the company cut the year-end bonus by 50 percent, with union officials disrupting a New Year meeting.
An emergency meeting of senior union members at the company¡¯s Ulsan plant voted to stand up to what they called repressive measures, including lawsuits filed by the company against union leaders. But the resolution came after some union officials stormed out of the meeting in protest against the union¡¯s relentless belligerence. Some 350 out of the Hyundai Motor union¡¯s 450 senior members had attended that meeting.
 |
|
Senior Hyundai Motor union members stand near flags and tents set up for a strike at the company¡¯s Ulsan plant on Friday.
|
 |
|
They then formed a strike committee to decide the timing and intensity of the strikes. The committee decided the first phase, when members will down tools for four to six hours during the day and night shifts, will last from Jan. 15 and 17. Until now, they have only been refusing overtime work. The intensity and duration of the second phase is to be decided at the end of this month. The strike would be illegal since it did not go to a vote by the workers or follow the mandatory 10-day dispute negotiation period. Hyundai company called the strike illegal and voted to take legal steps.
Labor Minister Lee Sang-soo said in an interview the labor strike was ¡°completely unreasonable¡± and vowed to take tough action.
As word spread of the leadership¡¯s decision to strike, unionized workers, subcontractors, Ulsan citizens and various civic groups voiced concern of a drawn-out dispute and criticized union leaders as selfish.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
