Partial Strike at Auto Unions

A joint strike by union workers at the nation's four largest automakers, Hyundai, Daewoo, Kia, and Ssangyong, came to an end on April 12. The workers will stage a partial strike in days to come.

The Korea Metal Workers Federation (KMWF) under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) decided to end the strike and asked the government to reconsider its plans to sell Daewoo and Ssangyong to foreign buyers.

Workers at Hyundai have decided to extend their walkout until April 15.

A KMWF spokesperson said, "Hyundai workers will continue with their general strike to negotiate wages and other conditions, after which we will join the partial strike."

The minister of labour, Choi Sun-jeong, and the chairman of the KMWF, Moon Sung-hyun were unable to reach an agreement on the contentious issue of the sale of Daewoo Motors. The talks broke off prior to the end of the strike, with the KMWF demanding a national forum to settle the matter of the troubled automaker.

by Kim Ki-chan