There is a sign that a strike by the Korea Cargo Workers Union would probably be lengthier than expected. What is worse, a union of construction equipment workers, a branch of the Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Union, will go on strike on June 16. The paralysis of cargo deliveries is expected to worsen as demand for transportation will rise early this week when most manufacturers resume production. As the KCWU’s strike continued for a third day, the daily average volume of containers moved in or out of ports fell to one-fifth of normal operations. On the same day, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said, “The volume of containers moved in or out of major seaports or inland container terminals is 14,969 TEUs, twenty-foot equivalent units, or 22 percent of normal levels as of noon.” One TEU refers to a 20-foot shipping container. In the areas of Jecheon and Danyang, the volume of cement shipments plunged to less than 10 percent of normal levels.
An official at the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said, “There was no major impact yet because shippers moved out shipments ahead of the strike, but it wouldn’t last for three or four days.” “In particular, there would be a major cripple from Monday as demand for transportation will rise,” the ministry official said.
On the afternoon of the same day, the 18,000-member union of construction equipment workers said it would “begin a strike on June 16 and hold a protest coming up to Seoul and driving dump trucks on the street of Daehangno.” Accordingly, there is concern for crippling the traffic on express motorways, alongside the transportation paralysis.
The government and the KCWU held an emergency meeting on the evening of the same day, but the two sides failed to narrow the gap on key issues. These issues include a forced introduction of standardized transport rates, granting a laborer status for truckers, and a direct negotiation with shippers or shippers’ approval of the outcome of negotiations between the KCWU and shipping companies.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs estimated 13,067 cargo truck drivers refused to move freight as of June 14. However, the KCWU said, “The number of unionized drivers was 14,000 as some 2,000 workers had joined the union over the past 10 days.” “Given the participation of (more than 200,000) non-unionized workers, we couldn’t put trust in the government’s statistics,” the KCWU said.
The government and the ruling party were concerned as the KCWU’s strike was likely to be lengthened and the union of construction equipment workers will go on strike. In an emergency meeting on the same day, the government and the Grand National Party agreed to set up a task force with private experts and industry representatives to improve the structure of the transport industry in terms of laws and systems.
The task force will be set up as early as June 16. Rep. Kim Ki-hyun of the GNP, who was nominated as head of the task force, said, “The task force’s aim is to resolve contradictory issues of the multi-level structure of the transport industry.” Kim said the task force would discuss a multi-level subcontracting structure, an improvement of a system on truck owners to resolve the problems from a multi-level subcontracting system, legalization in networking businesses for cargo transportation and a legislation of standardized transport rates.
An official at the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said, “There was no major impact yet because shippers moved out shipments ahead of the strike, but it wouldn’t last for three or four days.” “In particular, there would be a major cripple from Monday as demand for transportation will rise,” the ministry official said.
On the afternoon of the same day, the 18,000-member union of construction equipment workers said it would “begin a strike on June 16 and hold a protest coming up to Seoul and driving dump trucks on the street of Daehangno.” Accordingly, there is concern for crippling the traffic on express motorways, alongside the transportation paralysis.
The government and the KCWU held an emergency meeting on the evening of the same day, but the two sides failed to narrow the gap on key issues. These issues include a forced introduction of standardized transport rates, granting a laborer status for truckers, and a direct negotiation with shippers or shippers’ approval of the outcome of negotiations between the KCWU and shipping companies.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs estimated 13,067 cargo truck drivers refused to move freight as of June 14. However, the KCWU said, “The number of unionized drivers was 14,000 as some 2,000 workers had joined the union over the past 10 days.” “Given the participation of (more than 200,000) non-unionized workers, we couldn’t put trust in the government’s statistics,” the KCWU said.
The government and the ruling party were concerned as the KCWU’s strike was likely to be lengthened and the union of construction equipment workers will go on strike. In an emergency meeting on the same day, the government and the Grand National Party agreed to set up a task force with private experts and industry representatives to improve the structure of the transport industry in terms of laws and systems.
The task force will be set up as early as June 16. Rep. Kim Ki-hyun of the GNP, who was nominated as head of the task force, said, “The task force’s aim is to resolve contradictory issues of the multi-level structure of the transport industry.” Kim said the task force would discuss a multi-level subcontracting structure, an improvement of a system on truck owners to resolve the problems from a multi-level subcontracting system, legalization in networking businesses for cargo transportation and a legislation of standardized transport rates.