On the 11th, after the railway union unexpectedly postponed a strike, negotiations faced difficulties, drawing attention to the Planning and Finance Committee’s Public Institution Operation Committee. The union is warning of a general strike due to what they claim is the government’s failure to uphold its promises.
On December 18, the Korean Railway Workers’ Union announced that they provisionally agreed to wage negotiations for 2025 with the government’s promise to normalize performance bonuses, leading to the strike’s postponement. However, they claim the government and the management have not fulfilled their promises.
Consequently, the union plans to hold an emergency press conference on December 19 at noon at Seoul Station’s Donggwangjang, condemning the unfulfilled promise of performance bonus normalization and announcing the initiation of a general strike.
The union highlights that for 15 years, railway workers have tolerated disadvantages due to reduced performance bonuses, and their demand is not a privilege but simply the application of the same standards as other public institutions. They assert that the core issue is not wages but the government’s reliability.
They further emphasize that the government’s failure to fulfill its promises poses a threat to labor relations and public railway safety, declaring they cannot overlook this issue. If the government doesn’t change its stance, they threaten to initiate a general strike starting at 9 a.m. on December 23.
Previously, the railway union had postponed the general strike, initially scheduled for 9 a.m. on the 11th, just eight hours before it was to begin. This decision was made to minimize public inconvenience after a provisional agreement was reached on key issues, including the normalization of performance bonuses.
Since then, Korail and the railway union have been negotiating specific wage negotiation items. It is known that the management and government suggested resolving the performance bonus normalization through the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s Public Institution Operation Committee.
The railway union has long argued for performance bonus normalization, pointing out that, unlike other public institutions, their performance bonuses are based on only 80% of the basic salary.
The next Public Institution Operation Committee meeting is scheduled for the 23rd. If the union’s demand for performance bonus normalization is addressed at this meeting, there remains a possibility of halting the strike.
A union spokesperson noted that the uncertainty about the implementation of the tentative agreement reached with management before the planned general strike hints at its breakdown. However, they also indicated that if sincere negotiations or agreements occur before the next committee meeting, there could be room for renegotiation.