The Hyundai Motor Company labor union, which had declared a breakdown in wage negotiations, has finally secured the right to strike.
According to industry sources, the Central Labor Relations Commission announced a decision to halt mediation during the second round of negotiations between Hyundai and the union, which began at 10 a.m. on June 25.
The union had applied for labor dispute mediation on June 15 and held the first round of negotiations on June 19. However, after two rounds of mediation, the commission determined that the gap between the two sides was too wide for effective negotiation.
The Hyundai union had already conducted a strike vote among all members the day before, with more than half voting in favor, thus approving the strike action. With the commission's decision to halt mediation, a legal strike is now possible.
The union plans to hold an inaugural meeting of the Central Negotiation Committee on June 30 to discuss the direction of the strike. If an agreement is reached before then, the meeting may not take place, but that is considered unlikely. The Central Negotiation Committee is expected to continue discussions with management and ultimately decide on the strike.
Meanwhile, the union is demanding a monthly base salary increase of 149,600 won (excluding seniority raises), a performance bonus equal to 30% of last year's net profit, an increase in bonuses from 750% to 800%, and an extension of the retirement age. With the union now holding the right to strike, there is a possibility that management will soon present an initial negotiation proposal. Last year, the union conducted three partial strikes before reaching a settlement.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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