HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and its labor union failed to reach an agreement in their latest wage and collective bargaining talks, with the union planning a series of partial strikes from Wednesday.
The two sides held their 18th round of talks on Tuesday, but negotiations ended without progress after the union rejected management’s first proposal.
The union plans to begin industrial action on Wednesday with a seven-hour walkout involving executive officers, negotiators and union delegates.
Different union groups are then scheduled to take turns staging partial strikes through 10 September. A separate four-hour partial strike involving all union members is planned for 15 September.
If the planned action takes place, it would mark the fourth consecutive year of labor action at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
The two sides have held 18 rounds of negotiations since their first meeting in early June but remain divided over wage increases and performance-based compensation.
The union is seeking a monthly base-pay increase of KRW 149,600 ($108.89), in addition to seniority-based raises. It is also seeking a 100% increase in bonuses, a performance-based payout of at least 30% of operating profit, and the inclusion of vacation allowances and congratulatory payments in ordinary wages.
The union secured the legal right to strike after the National Labor Relations Commission ended mediation of the labor dispute and union members voted in favor of industrial action.
Negotiations will continue despite the planned strikes. The two sides intend to increase formal talks to three times a week from twice a week this month, while also holding representative- and working-level discussions.
An HD Hyundai Heavy Industries official said the company would continue negotiations in an effort to narrow the differences between the two sides.
