South Korea’s notoriously militant trade unions could start flexing their muscles again next week with workers at GM’s plants threatening a three-day partial strike as annual wage talks stumble over working conditions, according to news reports in the capital Seoul.
The unions have been relatively subdued under the current Seoul administration – the last strike at Hyundai was four years ago, for instance.
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But presidential elections are due in December and union leaders, keen to put an end to overnight working, are expected to step up their calls for action during the current round of wage talks.
Next week, union members at Hyundai vote on whether to join the Metal Workers’ Union and are planning partial strikes on consecutive Fridays. Kia faces a vote on strike action next Wednesday while union leaders at GM’s plants have decided to idle plants for several hours next Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, the first industrial action at a carmaker in South Korea this year.
GM Korea produces nearly all Cruze and Aveo models sold in Europe and around 25% of global Chevrolet production. It also produces kits for assembly in China.
