GM Korea union workers have launched a partial strike at the three vehicle assembly plants to demand higher wages, the company announced.
A GM spokesman told local reporters assembly workers had downed tools at its two plants in Bupyeong, near Seoul, and at its Changwon factory on the south coast.
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The plants have combined annual production capacity of 630,000 vehicles while global sales declined by 7% to 154,783 units in the first half of 2021.
The strike follows a reported 13 rounds of wage negotiations since May with the two parties so far failing to reach a compromise.
The union is demanding a KRW99,000 (US$86) increase in the basic monthly wage plus KRW8,690m in performance-related pay and bonuses per worker.
It also insisted on being told about future vehicle production plans for the plants.
GM Korea has so far offered a basic pay increase of KRW26,000 and KRW4m respectively. The company also said it was unable to share its production plans.
Meanwhile, Hyundai said it had reached a tentative agreement with unions for a KRW75,000 monthly basic pay rise, an annual bonus worth two months’ salary and KRW5.8m in performance benefits.
