Hyosung Heavy Industries office workers’ union plans 72-hour strike... Company says Changwon plant will operate normally

[Financial News] Hyosung Heavy Industries’ office and technical workers’ union has announced a three-day strike starting on the 4th, citing the breakdown of negotiations on wages and a collective agreement. It will be the union’s first strike since it was formed in June. The company said skilled workers on the production floor and others are not included in the strike and that it plans to keep the Changwon plant operating normally.
Industry sources said on the 3rd that Hyosung Heavy Industries’ office and technical workers’ union plans to strike for 72 hours, from the 4th through the 6th. The union said it had held a total of eight rounds of negotiations since the first meeting on August 21, but had failed to reach agreement on key issues, including wage increases and performance bonuses.
The union is seeking a 10% annual increase in base pay, the establishment of performance bonus payment criteria, and a reduction in differences in benefits among job categories. Hyosung Heavy Industries’ consolidated operating profit last year was 747 billion won, up 106.1% from the previous year. The union claims that this improvement in performance has not been adequately reflected in employee compensation, including wages and performance bonuses.
The union secured the right to take industrial action after the Gyeongnam Regional Labor Relations Commission issued a decision to suspend mediation on the 2nd. It says it will step up its strike if management does not present a more constructive proposal in negotiations after this action.
Hyosung Heavy Industries, meanwhile, issued a statement that day expressing regret over the union’s decision to strike. The company countered that it had held six rounds of negotiations and separate working-level consultations and presented a draft collective agreement, but the union declared negotiations over without even reviewing the wage proposal due to be discussed.
The two sides also disagree over the suspension of paid time off for union activities for union officials. The union claims the company unilaterally suspended the arrangement, while management says the measure was taken to comply with the statutory limit. The company says that, given the time-off hours already granted to the existing skilled workers’ union, allocating additional hours to the office and technical workers’ union could risk exceeding the legal cap.
The company stressed that the strike would not lead to a shutdown of the entire Changwon plant. It said skilled workers on the production floor and others are not part of the strike and that it plans to continue normal production and customer service.
A Hyosung Heavy Industries official said, “We will not make concessions without principles or unilaterally accept demands under pressure from a strike; we will respond in accordance with the law and principles.”
Meanwhile, Hyosung Heavy Industries’ office and technical workers’ union was formed in June and currently has around 1,400 members. It was confirmed as the bargaining representative union in July.

[email protected] Kim Mi-hee Reporter