Cargo Truckers Back to Work

Unionized cargo truck drivers Monday ended their five-day strike after reaching an agreement with Korea Express on renewing contracts of some of their colleagues.

The Korean Cargo Workers' Union and Korea Express, agreed on renewing contracts with 38 courier service operators around 5:40 a.m. In March, the firm terminated contracts with them after both sides failed to agree on service fee hikes.

The re-signed contracts will be under the same working conditions as before. The firm promised not to treat returning drivers unfairly and the two sides will drop lawsuits and complaints they filed against each other.

The union, which claims about 16,000 members, earlier warned that it would blockade major container warehouses, harbors or highways with their trucks to disrupt transportation and that its members would gather in Seoul for a massive rally over the weekend. But it did not carry out the plan.

It said 76.5 percent of its union members voted for the agreement.

``We asked all of our members to return to work from 11 a.m., Monday,'' the union said in a statement.

Unlike last year when about 300,000 non-unionized truck drivers participated in the walkout led by the union, they did not take part in the strike. This lack of support from non-union members left the union weak in its bargaining position.

The union has demanded the company acknowledge its members as workers as they are contracted with the company even though they own their trucks. Korea Express did not accept this demand saying it was an issue that the government, not the company, must decide.

Hyundai Motor Union

As the cargo union's strike ended earlier than expected, other labor unions' planned strikes are unlikely to gain momentum, analysts said.

It also casts shadow over the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU)'s plan to stage a strike in July.

At the same time, Hyundai Motor, one of major members of the militant umbrella union group, also said it will not strike, citing its own dispute with the company for wage and working conditions. The 45,000-member union's absence is expected to deal a blow to the KCTU's plans.

Hyundai Motor's union leader Yoon Hae-mo offered to resign Monday, according to union officials.

The union did not elaborate on the reason for his resignation, but it is said that it is because of ``internal conflicts'' over the terms on the changes in work shifts ㅡ some unionists are opposing the union leaders' negotiation with the company over details of its rotation system. Due to the opposition, the union has had difficulty in negotiating with management.

``It's true that he offered to resign. The union's policy-setting committee will discuss the matter and announce its conclusion Tuesday,'' a union member said.

If the committee confirms his resignation, not only Yoon but also all the leadership will have to resign.