As the Hyundai Motor Company union embarks on a full strike for the first time in a decade, the Kia union is also set to initiate a partial strike.
According to industry sources on August 21, the Kia union held a strike committee meeting and resolved to conduct a partial strike from August 26 to 28, with work shifts participating for 2 to 4 hours each day.
A union official stated, "While the exact timing has not been determined, it appears that there will be another process to gather opinions from union members before the partial strike begins."
If Kia proceeds with the strike, it will break the five-year streak of no disputes that the company has maintained since 2021.
Previously, the union demanded a wage increase of 149,600 won, a performance bonus equivalent to 30% of last year's operating profit, the implementation of a 4.5-day workweek, and an extension of the retirement age to 65.
In response, the company presented a wage proposal during the 10th round of negotiations on August 19, which included a basic wage increase of 98,000 won, a performance bonus of 400% plus 12 million won, and a 200,000 won increase in long-term service incentives.
Additionally, the proposal included a provision for a welfare point bonus of 500,000 points if this year's maximum production and sales targets are met, as well as an increase in allowances for employees at Hyundai and Kia's Namyang Technology Research Center to 35,000 won.
Meanwhile, the Hyundai Motor Company union began an eight-hour full strike on the same day, marking its first full strike since collective bargaining in 2016.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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