The Hyundai Motor labour union on Tuesday said it was ending a series of short strikes because the action had done little to help its wage talks with management, according to Reuters.
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“In spite of a lack of sincerity by management officials, we have made the difficult decision to resume normal production, in order to finalise talks before a summer break,” the 39,000-strong union said in a statement cited by Reuters.
The news agency said Hyundai’s union has held strikes for three hours or more on several occasions since late June, seeking higher wages, participation in management decisions involving investments and a 40-hour work week.
Reuters noted that the official summer holiday season at Hyundai starts on July 27 and that workers at most South Korean companies take annual leave during the summer and winter.
Reuters said Hyundai’s union is seeking a pay increase of 11%, around 125,000 won ($US106.40) a month.
According to the news agency, South Korean labour unions have been stepping up industrial action to press for higher wages and a shorter work week but their demands have faced mounting public criticism as the economy, Asia’s fourth-largest, entered its first recession since the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.
