HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union approves strike with 66.2% support, raising tensions over labor dispute

[Financial News] The HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union has secured the legal right to strike after members overwhelmingly approved industrial action. As a result, tensions are rising to a peak in labor-management disputes over this year's wage and collective bargaining talks in the shipbuilding industry.
According to the industry on the 27th, the Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU) Hyundai Heavy Industries branch, which held a three-day vote from the 25th through the 27th on whether to approve industrial action, passed the motion with 5,379 votes in favor out of 8,127 eligible members. A total of 5,607 members, or 69.0%, took part.
The approval rate came to 66.18% of all eligible members, easily surpassing the legal requirement of a majority in favor. There were 219 votes against and 9 invalid ballots, bringing the approval rate among actual voters to 95.9%.
Earlier, labor and management received a decision to suspend mediation from the National Labor Relations Commission on the 24th. With the union also passing this vote, it has completed all legal procedures required to exercise the right to strike.
Now that the union has secured its legal right to strike, the industry is closely watching whether it will actually walk out and how far it will go. At the 16th main bargaining session on the 25th, union chief negotiator Hwang Jun-gyu said, "Once we secure the right to strike, there is no turning back," urging management to make a more forward-looking decision. The union also staged four full strikes and 11 partial strikes in last year's wage and collective bargaining talks after mediation was suspended, raising the possibility that it could again resort to action this year if no agreement is reached.
Labor and management are scheduled to hold their 17th main bargaining session later in the day. The meeting is expected to be a turning point, as the union has drawn a line in the sand by securing strike rights and management must continue negotiations.
In response, an HD Hyundai Heavy Industries official said, "The company will continue to engage sincerely in future negotiations to narrow the gap between labor and management."
[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter