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S Korean railway workers launch indefinite strike
Source: Xinhua |
November 26, 2009, Thursday
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Online Edition
UNION workers of the state-run Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) today launched an indefinite strike in protest of the KORAIL's cancellation of a previously agreed-upon agreement due to wide differences between labor and management, local media reported.
The strike, which started from 04:00am local time, is the third this year following the first on Sept. 8 and the second on Nov. 5 and 6.
About 16,000 railway workers across the country, excluding essential staff for railway maintenance, took part in the walkout.
Union leaders said the current walkout was mainly caused by disputes between workers and management as the negotiations were still underway, the company unilaterally notified the annulment of its previous agreement on pay and working conditions, and demanded revision over 120 clauses within the 170-clause agreement on workers' rights and the reinstatement of fired workers.
But the firm said the union's claim is neither true nor justifiable, as it had already notified it of the nationwide strike last week.
As a result, the railway transportation across the country has been affected inevitably. Only 60 percent of the normal workforce was maintained to continue the operations of local train and metropolitan subway services, and cargo train services were hit hard with only 1.4 percent of daily capacity handled, according to local media.
To counter the strike, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs took emergent measures such as mobilizing around 5,000 members of its staff, extending operation hours of urban buses and temporarily easing restrictions on taxis.
Thanks to the ministry's efforts, the operation of passenger trains is being conducted as usual, and subway trains in the metropolitan area also operated normally during the morning rush hours.
The strike, which started from 04:00am local time, is the third this year following the first on Sept. 8 and the second on Nov. 5 and 6.
About 16,000 railway workers across the country, excluding essential staff for railway maintenance, took part in the walkout.
Union leaders said the current walkout was mainly caused by disputes between workers and management as the negotiations were still underway, the company unilaterally notified the annulment of its previous agreement on pay and working conditions, and demanded revision over 120 clauses within the 170-clause agreement on workers' rights and the reinstatement of fired workers.
But the firm said the union's claim is neither true nor justifiable, as it had already notified it of the nationwide strike last week.
As a result, the railway transportation across the country has been affected inevitably. Only 60 percent of the normal workforce was maintained to continue the operations of local train and metropolitan subway services, and cargo train services were hit hard with only 1.4 percent of daily capacity handled, according to local media.
To counter the strike, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs took emergent measures such as mobilizing around 5,000 members of its staff, extending operation hours of urban buses and temporarily easing restrictions on taxis.
Thanks to the ministry's efforts, the operation of passenger trains is being conducted as usual, and subway trains in the metropolitan area also operated normally during the morning rush hours.
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