Hanwha Ocean said it will not reverse disciplinary measures taken against employees linked to recent safety accidents at its Geoje shipyard, stating that workplace safety cannot be weakened by union pressure.
The company said on 7 May that a joint investigation involving labor, management and relevant authorities found that two accidents earlier this year were connected to breaches of safety rules or failures in on-site safety supervision by managers.
In February, a worker fell from the top of a service tower at the Geoje shipyard. In March, two workers were injured after scaffolding materials dropped from above and hit them during dock work. The injured workers are reportedly still receiving inpatient treatment at a rehabilitation hospital.
Following the accidents, Hanwha Ocean disciplined three employees who were directly responsible, including one case of a one-month suspension. Since last month, the Korean Metal Workers’ Union Hanwha Ocean Branch has held rallies in front of the Geoje shipyard and Hanwha Group headquarters, calling for the measures to be withdrawn.
Hanwha Ocean said safety remains its highest management priority and argued that opposition to the disciplinary action is creating a serious obstacle to its safety efforts.
The company also said the union should support compliance with safety rules so that workers can leave the yard without injury. It added that demands to cancel disciplinary action cannot be justified when they go beyond established rules, regardless of who was involved in the accidents.
Hanwha Ocean stressed that an unsafe shipyard can no longer receive ship orders from global customers and that this could affect the shipyard’s future. The company said it would not accept any pressure that weakens the protection of employees’ lives and safety.
