SEOUL-- The labor union of Seoul Metro, the operator of Seoul subway system, warned Friday it will go on strike on Sept. 14 as planned, if the authorities' plan to lay off workers as part of restructuring measures is not withdrawn.
Seoul Metro labor union leader Kim Dae-hoon said that he and other unionized workers have no other option but to walk out, as long as the central and metropolitan governments push ahead with their restructuring plan, instead of providing fiscal assistance.
"The (central) government and the Seoul city government are pressing for restructuring while shifting the responsibility for financial difficulties (at Seoul Metro) to each other," Kim said in a news conference in front of the National Assembly, urging them to come to the negotiating table with a more responsible attitude.
Seoul Metro, which expects to see 1.6 trillion won (US$1.36 billion) in deficit this year, has proposed a 10 percent reduction in its workforce and a pay freeze, which the union squarely denied, calling the measures "passing the buck (of failed management) to workers."
The labor union has demanded the Seoul city government scrap its layoff plan and the central government make up for financial losses, which they argue are caused mainly by free rides for the elderly aged 65 and older, and a freeze on subway fares since 2015.
Labor-management negotiations resumed Tuesday but little progress has reportedly been made.
The chief of the Korean Federation of Public Services and Transportation Workers' Unions, Hyun Jeong-hee, also attended Kim's news conference and vowed that all 240,000 union members will fight together, if the Sept. 14 strike is carried out.
Leaders of metro labor unions in five other major cities -- Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju and Daejeon -- also vowed to extend support to the planned strike in Seoul during their meeting with Kim in Seoul on Wednesday.
All six subway systems have been suffering from financial difficulties, exacerbated by declining ridership and the growing work-from-home culture amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Yonhap News Agency