Hyundai experiences its first full-day labor strike in 12 years Monday, when workers belonging to the Hyundai Motor Branch of the Korean Metal Workers Union failed to show up for either the morning or afternoon shifts.
The fullscale walkout shut down all assembly operations for 16 hours at Hyundai’s plant in Asan, its five plants in the Ulsan industrial complex and its commercial-vehicle center in Jeonju. There was no production for the entire day.
The action was taken after union and management bargainers failed to make any progress in their 16th negotiating session, held last Friday.
The union has ordered its members to continue the action with partial strikes of three hours on each shift for the remainder of the week, except on any day in which the two sides may hold another negotiating session. A date for the next meeting has not been set.
A union spokesman says the partial strikes may continue next week unless progress is made in talks between the sides.
According to sources at the affiliated Kia branch of the KMWU, its members also will strike for three hours on both the morning and afternoon shifts this week because no progress has been made in negotiations at Kia, either.
Both Kia management and its union are observing a news blackout and have agreed to not discuss any details of their negotiations.
