The workers, who have been refusing overtime and weekend work since earlier this week, are staging the strike on Wednesday and Thursday, with the morning and afternoon shifts stopping work for four hours each.
It comes after more than a dozen rounds of wage talks including one held the previous day collapsed as the automaker's labor and management failed to narrow differences over pay, bonuses and future production plans.
The union rejected the company's latest offer, which included a base-pay raise and a lump-sum payment, saying it fell short of its expectations. It is seeking a 149,600-won increase (about US$100) in monthly base pay and performance pay of about 30 million won for each worker.
It also wants new vehicle models to be assigned to its plants, along with commitments to build future vehicles and next-generation engines domestically. In addition, the union is demanding that more than half of the company's retained earnings be invested in South Korea.
Further talks between the two sides are expected, but the dispute is likely to continue as key differences remain unresolved.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
