Railway strike to start Tuesday as gov't fails to restore performance bonuses to original level

The Korean Railway Workers’ Union announced on Friday that it will launch an indefinite general strike starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, citing the government’s failure to fulfill a promise to normalize performance-based bonuses.

Members of the Korean Railway Workers’ Union hold a rally in front of Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Dec. 19. [YONHAP]

The Korean Railway Workers’ Union announced on Friday that it will launch an indefinite general strike starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, citing the government’s failure to fulfill a promise to normalize performance-based bonuses.

In a press conference held on the east side of Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul, the union said it would proceed with the strike as planned unless the government changes its stance.

A nationwide protest involving some 13,000 participants took place at 2 p.m. on Friday near the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul.

The union had previously suspended strike plans after reaching a tentative agreement with the Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) during wage and collective bargaining negotiations on Dec. 10.

However, the union said talks ultimately fell through after the key issue — restoring the performance bonus to its original level — was not submitted to the Public Institution Management Committee for deliberation.

It is demanding that the bonus be restored to 100 percent of base salary.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance is considering a 90 percent standard, which it argues would be inconsistent with practices at other public institutions, according to the union.

Members of the Korean Railway Workers’ Union hold a rally in front of Seoul Station in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Dec. 19. [YONHAP]

“We have endured reduced performance pay for 15 years — this is not a demand for special treatment but for equal application of standards,” the union said.

Framing the issue as a matter of trust rather than wages, the union criticized the government for breaking its promise, calling it a threat to labor-management relations and the safety of public rail services.

“If the government refuses to reverse its position, the Finance Ministry will be held responsible for the fallout,” it said.

As the strike is expected to disrupt rail operations, SR — the operator of the SRT high-speed train — has activated an emergency transport plan. The company plans to deploy internal staff to maintain vehicle maintenance and station services, which are currently outsourced to Korail, and will operate an emergency response headquarters starting the day before the strike.

“We will minimize inconvenience for high-speed train passengers even during the strike,” said Shim Young-joo, acting CEO of SR.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY BAE JAE-SUNG [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]