The nationwide railway union strike, now on its second day today (6th), continues to reduce train operations. As of 7 a.m. today, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport reported a participation rate of 25.8% (4,802 out of 18,613 employees expected to report for work). This is slightly higher than yesterday’s (5th) participation rate of 22.1%.
As of 9 a.m., train operation has fallen to 69.7% of usual levels. The operation rates by train type are 75.9% for the metropolitan subway, 66.1% for KTX, 60.7% for passenger trains (Saemaeul and Mugunghwa), and 18.5% for freight trains.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and Korail announced that following an agreement by Seoul Metro labor-management to call off their strike early this morning, they will increase the number of trains on Seoul Subway Lines 3 and 4 by 4 and 2 trains respectively from next Monday (9th) to minimize inconvenience for commuters.
Additionally, they plan to strengthen the notification of train operation information for canceled trains and strive to manage congestion and order at major stations.
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Park Sang-woo, inspecting Guro Station today, instructed to implement emergency transportation measures without delay to minimize public inconvenience. He urged the railway union to cease the strike immediately, resume labor-management dialogue, and return to the railway workplaces that maintain people’s daily lives.
Furthermore, Minister Park stressed the importance of safety management for railway workers who are silently maintaining the sites even during the strike. He stated that the government will respond strictly to illegal activities according to law and principle, and instructed the railway police and Korail to record, manage, and firmly address illegal activities such as interference with train dispatch.
The nationwide railway union announced today that they are continuing the strike while adhering to detailed instructions for different sectors, including driving and vehicles. The union also plans to hold unity meetings at 155 branches nationwide today to educate on labor laws and the Labor Standards Act and has announced a large-scale protest with 11,000 union members tomorrow (7th).
A railway union official stated, “The union’s strike demands include raising the basic salary according to government standards, paying performance bonuses as agreed, resolving wage arrears, hiring necessary personnel for newly opened lines, stopping reckless outsourcing or personnel reductions, and halting surveillance cameras monitoring labor.” They also urged decisions from the management, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.
The railway union has gone on strike since yesterday (5th), demanding a fixed increase in basic pay, resolution of delayed wages, improvement in performance bonus rates, sufficient staffing, and a switch to a 4-team 2-shift system.