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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] On Wednesday, the Kakao labor union, part of the Federation of Chemical, Textile, Food Industry Workers' Union, announced the breakdown of wage and collective bargaining negotiations with nine Kakao subsidiaries, signaling an upcoming total strike.
In a press conference held in front of Kakao’s headquarters in Jeju, where the company's regular shareholders meeting took place, the union declared for the first time since its establishment that all wage and collective bargaining negotiations had failed. Seungwook Seo, the head of the Kakao labor union, criticized the company’s lack of sincerity and said, “It is the first time all subsidiaries of the Kakao community are united to voice their concerns.”
As a result of this breakdown, wage negotiations with seven Kakao subsidiaries — including Kakao Mobility, Kakao Entertainment, Kakao Bank, Kakao Pay, Kakao Enterprise, K&Works, and Kakao VX — have collapsed. Additionally, collective bargaining talks with five subsidiaries — Kakao Mobility, Kakao Entertainment, Kakao Pay, DK Techin, and Kakao Games — also failed.
The labor union pointed out that despite the efforts and achievements of Kakao employees, the company unilaterally announced performance bonuses and proposed low compensation levels overall.
Kakao currently faces leadership risks, with founder Kim Beom-su having recently stepped down from his management position after being diagnosed with cancer, leading to a "leadership vacuum." Additionally, ongoing legal risks surround some of its key subsidiaries.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
