The three shipbuilding subsidiaries of HD Hyundai have launched a joint strike. Meanwhile, Samsung Heavy Industries management and labor union have reached a tentative agreement, pending a final vote by union members. As major shipbuilders are successively reaching agreements for the successful implementation of the “MASGA” project, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is experiencing an intensification of its strike.

According to industry sources on Sept. 10, the labor unions of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Mipo, and HD Hyundai Samho are conducting simultaneous strikes at their respective workplaces. The HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union began a partial strike at the Ulsan Shipyard in the morning, while HD Hyundai Mipo and HD Hyundai Samho unions are set to strike for four hours from 1 PM.

The HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union stated in its newsletter, “Even in the 23rd negotiation, management’s attitude was lukewarm,” emphasizing that “The strike can only be stopped if they propose a fair distribution of basic wage increases and performance.” Since the rejection of the proposed basic wage increase of 133,000 won (including a 35,000 won step increase) at the general union meeting on July 18, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ labor and management have made no progress in negotiations. Baek Ho-seon, the head of the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union branch, began a high-altitude protest at 9:45 AM by climbing a 40-meter-high turnover crane (used for flipping ship structures) within the Ulsan Shipyard.

The HD Hyundai Mipo union is raising issues such as job insecurity during the merger process with Hyundai Heavy Industries and profit distribution concerns following the establishment of a Singapore corporation. The HD Hyundai Samho union is criticizing management’s lukewarm attitude in negotiations.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to continue the seven-hour daily strike until Sept. 12 and has announced a protest and general strike at the headquarters involving unions from 11 HD Hyundai affiliates on Sept. 12.

In contrast, Samsung Heavy Industries’ management and labor union reached a tentative agreement yesterday and are nearing the final settlement of this year’s wage and collective bargaining agreement, pending a union member vote today. Hanwha Ocean had already reached an agreement in July, including a basic wage increase of 123,000 won (including step increases), a one-time payment of 5.2 million won, and the introduction of a compensation system based on job difficulty.

As a result, among the three major domestic shipbuilders, only HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ management and labor union have failed to reach an agreement. An industry insider commented, “As the MASGA project is about to begin in earnest, shipbuilding companies and unions are wrapping up wage and collective bargaining agreements relatively quickly,” adding, “From management’s perspective, they must be feeling urgent to finalize agreements with unions and prepare for the MASGA project promptly.”

Source:Business Korea