On November 24, South Korea's truckers' union went on a general strike, according to Yonhap.
The protest was joined by 22,000 of the 25,000 members of the Transporters' Solidarity Union, which is overseen by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. This is the second strike of heavy truck drivers this year.
The union said it would begin blocking entrances to major logistics hubs in Seoul, Busan and Gwangyang.
The main demand put forward by the strikers is the expansion of the Safe Transportation System, which guarantees basic wages and improved working conditions.
The government has vowed to adopt a zero-tolerance stance towards the strike and has warned of stronger action than last time. “The authorities are demanding an end to the strike and are threatening up to three years in prison or a $22,500 fine.”
“The strike will cause severe supply disruptions in the automotive, steel and oil refining industries, forcing manufacturers to reduce daily output,” Yonhap predicted.
Transport disruptions have already begun in a large industrial complex in Pohang, where the shipment of 8,000 tons of Hyundai Steel products has been delayed.
Recall that in the summer, drivers of heavy trucks have already held one strike, which lasted more than a week, and about 22 thousand drivers-members of the trade union participated.
The strike negatively affected supply chains in Korea and slowed down exports from the country.
Many enterprises were forced to suspend production due to the inability to ship products. At that time, the damage to the economy from the strike was estimated at $1 billion.
In order to prevent a logistical crisis, then military drivers came to the aid of the Korean authorities. The government is counting on them even now.
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