Busan subway union sets 23 Oct strike if final talks fail; city plans 75% service
In short
The union at Busan Transportation Corporation said it will strike from the first train on 23 October if final bargaining on 22 October fails. The city said it would keep urban rail at an average of 75% of normal weekday service, with normal rush-hour intervals on Lines 1 to 3 and normal running on Line 4.
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The union at Busan Transportation Corporation (부산교통공사) has announced a strike from the first train on 23 October if final bargaining on 22 October fails to produce an agreement. Busan city said on 21 October that it had prepared emergency transport measures, and it held a meeting with the Busan police agency, the corporation and Yangsan city to check cooperation. Newsis and Kukmin Ilbo said that meeting took place on 20 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
According to the city, labor and management held 18 rounds of collective bargaining from May without agreement. Mediation by the Busan Regional Labor Commission failed for good on 29 September, and the union said it would strike if the 22 October talks reach no settlement. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
If the strike goes ahead, the city plans to use essential staff to keep urban rail at an average of 75% of normal weekday service. Lines 1 to 3 would run every 4 to 5 minutes at rush hours, as normally, and every 8 to 20 minutes at other times, which is 58% of normal. Line 4, which is unmanned and automated, would run normally. Kukmin Ilbo gave the rush hours as 07:30 to 09:00 and 17:30 to 19:30, and reported that on Saturdays trains would run at 67.7% of normal at intervals of 10 to 24 minutes, and on holidays at 50% at intervals of 10 to 30 minutes. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
To make up for fewer trains, the city said it would lift the car-day rotation rest day from the day of the strike, place taxis around urban rail stations and add city bus runs. If a strike drags on and the corporation asks for staff, city officials would be placed on site to help with station work. Transport bureau chief Hwang Hyeon-cheol (황현철) said he hoped both sides would talk actively and reach agreement soon, and that the city would do its utmost to minimise inconvenience. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
On 22 October the corporation said it would start an emergency headquarters at 15:00 and aim to keep overall service at 75% of normal, with 100% at the same rush hours. It plans to deploy 2,231 people: 1,305 essential staff in seven fields, 490 of its own substitute staff and 436 external support staff, or 44.5% of its current staff. President Kim Tae-ho (김태호) said stable operation is the top priority and that he would work for a quick settlement, and asked passengers to check train times outside rush hours. [ 7 , 8 ]
Newsis and Asia Economy said the sides had not narrowed their differences on key issues such as staffing and gongmujik treatment. The union demands a 3.5% pay rise, 328 safety staff including for the extended Line 2 section, 34 more gongmujik workers and a better pay system for them. The corporation is considering the 3.5% rise, which it described as the maximum under government guidelines, but said large-scale hiring is hard given a deficit of more than 500 billion won. Kukmin Ilbo also reported that workers of the subsidiary Busan Urban Railway Operation Service (부산도시철도운영서비스) had separately announced a strike from 22 October if talks failed. [ 4 , 7 , 8 ]
Why it matters
Riders on Busan's urban rail would face less frequent trains outside rush hours if the strike goes ahead. The documents say the two sides remain apart mainly on staffing, while the gap on pay is described as small.
Key facts
- The Busan Transportation Corporation union announced a strike from the first train on 23 October if the final bargaining on 22 October fails. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 ]
- Labor and management held 18 rounds of collective bargaining from May without agreement, and mediation by the Busan Regional Labor Commission failed on 29 September. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The city plans to keep urban rail at an average of 75% of normal weekday service during a strike, using essential staff. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Lines 1 to 3 would run every 4 to 5 minutes at rush hours as normal and every 8 to 20 minutes at other times (58% of normal); Line 4, which is unmanned and automated, would run normally. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The corporation said it would deploy 2,231 people, 44.5% of its current staff, and start an emergency headquarters at 15:00 on 22 October. [ 7 , 8 ]
- The union is demanding a 3.5% pay rise, 328 safety staff, 34 more gongmujik workers and a better pay system for them; the corporation said large-scale hiring is difficult given a deficit of more than 500 billion won. [ 7 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The union plans to strike from the first train on 23 October if the 22 October final bargaining produces no agreement. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Bargaining has run 18 rounds since May without agreement, and the 29 September labor commission mediation failed. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The city plans to run urban rail at an average of 75% of normal on weekdays during a strike, with Lines 1 to 3 at the normal 4 to 5 minute interval at rush hours and 8 to 20 minutes otherwise, and Line 4 running normally. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The city will lift the car-day rotation rest day from the day of the strike, place taxis around urban rail stations and add city bus runs. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- If a strike drags on and the corporation asks for staff, city officials will be placed on site to help with station work. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The corporation will start an emergency headquarters at 15:00 on 22 October and plans to deploy 2,231 people, 44.5% of its current staff. [ 7 , 8 ]
- The union demands a 3.5% pay rise, 328 safety staff including for the extended Line 2 section, 34 more gongmujik workers and a better gongmujik pay system; the corporation is considering the 3.5% rise. [ 7 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the final bargaining on 22 October will produce an agreement or the strike will start on 23 October. The documents were published before the outcome of the talks and give no result.
- Weekend service during a strike: Saturday at 67.7% of normal at 10 to 24 minute intervals and holidays at 50% at 10 to 30 minute intervals. Only one outlet gives these figures.
- A separate strike by workers of Busan Urban Railway Operation Service (부산도시철도운영서비스), a corporation subsidiary, from 22 October. Only one outlet reports it, and it depends on the outcome of the seventh principal-subcontractor bargaining round held on the afternoon of 21 October, which the documents do not report.
- How the revised labor union law applies to the dispute. Only a headline from one outlet mentions it as a first test, with no article text.