 |
| ▲ Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions criticize the Yoon Suk Yeol government's labor policies during a rally in Seoul, in this file photo taken June 24, 2023. (Yonhap) |
labor union-strike
Biggest umbrella labor group to go on 2-week general strike
SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), South Korea's largest umbrella labor group, was set to go on a two-week general strike Monday to protest the Yoon Suk Yeol government's labor policies.
Yang Kyung-soo, the chairman of the KCTU, is scheduled to hold a press conference in front of the presidential office at 10 a.m. to declare the start of the walkout under the slogan, "Down with the Yoon Suk Yeol government."
The strike, which will run through July 15, is aimed at rallying public support for its call for the ouster of the Yoon government, demanding a hike in the minimum wage and stopping what it calls the government's "pro-chaebol and anti-labor" policies, KCTU officials said.
Chaebol are family-run conglomerates.
The union estimates as many as 500,000 of its 1.2 million members would join the strike but said the collective action is not expected to cause much inconvenience to the public as each industry's participation will be limited to one or two days.
According to the KCTU, the labor union of Hyundai Motor will stage a strike on July 12, along with the Korean Metal Workers' Union. The parcel service workers' union was to go on strike Monday.
The medical workers' union has vowed an indefinite general strike, beginning July 13.
During the two-week strike, the umbrella union also plans to hold evening candlelight rallies nationwide, demanding the resignation of the Yoon government.
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
