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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] POSCO has avoided a potential labor strike after South Korea’s National Labor Relations Commission issued an administrative guidance decision following ongoing disputes over the direct employment of subcontracted workers.
According to industry sources on May 28, the commission concluded its third round of mediation between POSCO management and its labor union without reaching an agreement but determined that further negotiations remain possible. The case was therefore returned with recommendations for continued dialogue rather than granting the union the right to strike.
As a result, the union has not secured the legal right to industrial action. The dispute centers on demands to directly employ approximately 7,000 subcontracted workers, a key issue expected to continue in upcoming wage and collective bargaining negotiations.
The administrative guidance decision has temporarily eased tensions, allowing POSCO to maintain its long-standing no-strike tradition since its founding 58 years ago.
However, industry observers note that underlying disagreements—particularly regarding fairness and workforce restructuring—remain unresolved, leaving the potential for renewed conflict in future negotiations.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
