The Gwangju city bus union will go on strike again starting from the 9th.
According to the Gwangju Regional Bus Labor Union of the National Automobile Labor Federation (Korea Auto Workers' Union) on the 8th, Gwangju city buses will resume a full strike from the first bus on the 9th.
The Gwangju city bus union went on a full strike on the 5th due to the breakdown of negotiations over this year's wage and collective bargaining agreement with management. Afterward, they paused the strike starting from the 6th, the day the Memorial Day holiday began, lowering the intensity to law-abiding operations. However, it has been reported that management did not present any substantial negotiation proposals during the three-day holiday.
In response, the union decided to resume the strike from the first bus on the 9th. The number of union members participating in the strike is 1,400 out of approximately 2,400 Gwangju city bus drivers.
The Gwangju city bus union is demanding an 8.2% increase in annual salary (340,000 won per month based on Grade 4) and an extension of the retirement age to 65 this year. On the other hand, management maintains a position of freezing salaries due to operating deficits.
The city of Gwangju has prepared an emergency transport plan aiming for a 70% operation rate (700 buses) by deploying more than 1,000 drivers who are non-union members of the city bus union. Additionally, if the strike becomes prolonged and driver fatigue accumulates, they plan to use hired buses to maintain the 70% operation rate.