Unionized railway workers end 4-day strike

Social Affairs

Published: 18 Sep. 2023, 10:54

Unionized railway workers end 4-day strike

Seoul Station in subway line No. 1 in central Seoul bustles with passengers during the morning rush hour on Monday as unionized rail workers return to work after their four-day strike. [NEWS1]

Unionized rail workers ended their four-day strike and returned to work from 9 a.m. Monday, the Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) said.

Trains that were halted during the walkout will be phased back into regular schedule within the day.

The KTX bullet trains are expected to be fully back on track by 5 p.m., freight and passenger trains by 6 p.m. and subways in the greater Seoul area by 9 p.m.

Subway trains were operating at 95 percent of normal levels during the morning rush hour and will be at 99 percent in the evening rush hour.

The walkout had lowered the operation of trains below 80 percent of normal levels.

"The first strike was a kind of warning, but the second one will be an indefinite general strike," a Korean Railway Workers' Union spokesperson said.

"We have set a date [for the second strike] internally and will decide whether to push forward the plan taking the company and government's response into account."

The union began its first nationwide strike since November 2019 at 9 a.m. Thursday demanding better working conditions.

It also called for 12-hour shifts by four teams and the extension of KTX service to Suseo Station in southern Seoul, saying that the move would expand its routes and bring down high train fares.

Suseo Station is the starting station for the Super Rapid Train (SRT), another high-speed train run by SR Corporation.

"We express our deepest apologies for the inconvenience caused by the union's strike," Korail said in a statement.

"Company-labor talks will be held to prevent further inconvenience ahead of the Chuseok harvest holiday."

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]