DSME, subcontractors reach agreement ending 51-day strike

A member of the subcontractors' union of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) enters the briefing room to announce an agreement between the company and subcontractors Friday. [NEWS1]

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) reached an agreement with its subcontractors Friday, ending a strike by the subcontractors that has gone on for more than 51 days.

Following the agreement, the union members of DSME subcontractors will return to their workplace.

The union announced that the company and union members began talks on an agreement around 8 a.m. Friday and reached a final agreement at 4:09 p.m.

The company and union agreed to a 4.5 percent wage increase with 500,000 won in additional pay for holidays and a 400,000-won bonus for summer vacations.

Additional agreements were reached regarding a transition plan for union members who could lose their job, but no specific details were disclosed.

The lawsuit for damages, which sparked fierce debate until the last minute, was left unresolved.

The union plans to coordinate so that individual members will not be affected even if the union leadership is liable for civil or criminal liability.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]