Workers At South Korea’s Hyundai Shipyards Stage Strike Over Wage Dispute
The labour dispute at HD Hyundai shipyards in South Korea has intensified, with workers at three subsidiaries launching simultaneous strikes on September 10 while a union leader climbed a giant crane in protest.
The union held a seven-hour strike beginning in the morning at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan. Union leader Baekho-seon climbed a 50-meter (164-foot) crane used for moving ship parts and staged a sit-in, saying talks had stalled. He pointed to management’s failure to present a new wage offer since July, urging company leaders to take responsibility and make a decision.
Later in the day, workers at HD Hyundai Mipo and HD Hyundai Samho shipyards also stopped work, holding four-hour strikes from 1 p.m. Per reports, three subsidiaries had already held between 10 and 20 bargaining sessions since May, but progress has been minimal.
Union members had rejected a tentative wage agreement on July 18, which included a base pay increase of about $100 (133,000 won, including a 35,000 won step increase) and a one-time bonus of around $3,800.
Leaders described the demands as fair, neither excessive nor unusual compared to Hyundai’s financial ability, and said workers were not being properly respected or compensated despite contributing to the company’s rising importance under the “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again” (MASGA) initiative.
Since the failed July vote, the unions have staged multiple strikes, seven at Hyundai Heavy Industries alone and more than 10 across all facilities. The latest joint action marks an escalation toward a full general strike.
The strike at the Ulsan yard is set to last seven hours a day until September 12. On that date, the unions plan to join forces with labor groups from 11 Hyundai affiliates in a larger protest at the company’s headquarters.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the parent company of Hyundai’s shipyards, has reported strong orders. By September 8, it had signed contracts for 86 ships worth $11.75 billion, reaching 65 percent of its annual target of $18.05 billion.
Still, media reports say production is being disrupted by work stoppages and a crane sit-in, with union members also blocking equipment and ship blocks by riding motorcycles on shipyard roads.
Union concerns have grown over Hyundai’s plan to merge its Ulsan shipyards, making Hyundai Mipo a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries. Workers fear forced job transfers after the merger, and the union has warned it will oppose both the restructuring and the MASGA project if their concerns are ignored.
On September 9, Samsung Heavy Industries reached a tentative agreement with its union, pending a vote by members. Hanwha Ocean concluded its agreement in July, which included a basic wage increase of 123,000 won, a one-time payment of 5.2 million won, and the introduction of a compensation system based on job difficulty.
Reference: businesskorea
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