'Negotiation conflict' Hanwha Ocean subcontract workers followed by main contractor workers also protested at high altitudes (comprehensive)

Labor and management disagree on the third proposal… Hanwha Ocean branch chairman climbs a yard crane and begins sit-in protest

(Geoje = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeong Jong-ho = Following Hanwha Ocean's subcontracted workers, the main contractor's workers also participated in a high-altitude sit-in within the company.

On the 8th, the Gyeongnam branch of the Korea Metal Workers' Union (Korean Metal Workers' Union) announced that Kim Yu-cheol, president of the Hanwha Ocean Branch of the Korean Metal Workers' Union, a full-time union of Hanwha Ocean's main office, climbed a crane at Hanwha Ocean's Geoje plant in Gyeongnam and began a sit-in protest.

He continued, "Hanwha Ocean's labor and management negotiated 26 times from June to the previous day, and the management submitted the third proposal and notified the final proposal in the manner of 'If you want it, take it,'" and claimed, "There is no choice for workers in Hanwha Ocean's one-way traffic other than throwing themselves into a fight."

The Hanwha Ocean branch of the Korean Metal Workers' Union said that the branch president climbed a crane to raise wages commensurate with the boom in the shipbuilding industry and change the unreasonable system, and that they plan to continue the high-altitude sit-in until the demands of the branch's industrial action committee are met.

According to Yonhap News coverage, in the previous day's negotiations, the management negotiated the third round, which included an increase in the basic salary of 138,689 won, payment of 7.5 million won in lump sum (lump sum upon settlement, win-win incentive, etc.), payment of welfare points worth 1 million won per year, partial increase in congratulatory and condolence expenses, re-employment of retirees of retirement age (implementation of a contract for one year after retirement for those born in 1966), and establishment and operation of a task force (TF) to improve the performance-based pay system. The proposal was notified to the union.

The union, which had requested an increase in basic salary of 149,600 won, payment of 900% bonus, extension of retirement age, and improvement of performance bonus payment system, evaluated this third proposal as progress, but reportedly judged that it was not acceptable.

Prior to the high-altitude sit-in by the primary contractor union on this day, six union members, including the Geoje Tongyeong Goseong Shipbuilding Subcontracting Branch of the Metal Workers' Union, began a high-altitude sit-in at a facility within Hanwha Ocean's Geoje plant on the 30th of last month, demanding negotiations with the primary contractor. Two of them came down to the ground for collective bargaining with the primary contractor scheduled for the 8th.

The remaining four people will continue the sit-in until negotiations with the main office are concluded.