Railroad union "indefinite general strike from 9 a.m. on December 10th" (comprehensive)

The National Railroad Workers' Union (Railroad Workers' Union) announced a general strike starting at 9 a.m. on the 10th of next month, demanding a fair promotion system and the recruitment of railroad safety personnel.

The railroad union held a press conference in front of the steps of Seoul Station Square on the morning of the 11th and announced that it would begin a general strike in December if its demands were not accepted.

The union claimed, "The current promotion system is unfair and excludes field workers. The system is open so that field workers can be promoted up to level 3, but the number of promotions is limited, and opportunities are concentrated on headquarters and headquarters employees and managers."

He also added, “There is a severe shortage of manpower at the railroad site,” adding, “Workers go to work without rest even on holidays, and train drivers have to be careful every time they use annual leave and sick leave.”

In particular, regarding the electrical field that inspects the tracks, he criticized, "The current two-person system must be converted to a three-person system including a train monitor," and "We are proposing a plan to reduce the number of personnel at sites where there is a shortage of safety personnel."

Regarding the accommodation environment, he emphasized, "There are places on site where as many as 10 people sleep in one room," and "if shift workers do not rest properly, their fatigue will lead to a safety threat."

Previously, when the third round of main negotiations broke down on the 14th of last month, the union decided to initiate a strike at an extraordinary representative meeting the next day.

Subsequently, in the industrial action vote held from the 2nd to the 5th of this month, 21,634 out of 24,691 registered union members participated, and 16,783 voted in favor.

The approval rate is 77.58% compared to voting participants and 67.97% compared to registered union members.

The union will hold an all-out resolution rally in front of Exit 12 of Seoul Station at 2 p.m. on the 14th, and all union members will wear struggle vests starting on the 16th, and then begin a two-week struggle for safe driving and a general strike night general meeting by district for two weeks starting on the 23rd.

Meanwhile, if a general strike becomes a reality amid the merger of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and SR (SR) last September, disruptions to rail service could be much greater than when SR was in charge of some alternative transportation before the merger.