Goals
Time period notes
Time period
Country
Location City/State/Province
Location Description
Methods in 1st segment
Methods in 2nd segment
- Refusal to work overtime on 25th July; 2 hour strikes on 26th and 27th July
Methods in 3rd segment
- 3 hour strikes on 8th, 9th, and 10th of August
Methods in 4th segment
- by temporary workers' union only on 16th July
- Refusal to work overtime on 11th, 12th, and 15th of August; 4 hour strikes on 13th, and 14th of August; 2 hour strike on 16th of August
Methods in 5th segment
- of support for hiring of temporary workers as permanent workers by Seoul National University Student Association
- 4 hour strike on 28th of August; 6 hour strikes on 29th, and 30th August
Segment Length
Notes on Methods
Unions did not hold strikes during the 6th segment in an effort to finalise on deals with the Hyundai Motor Company.
Leaders
Partners
External allies
Opponents
Nonviolent responses of opponent
Campaigner violence
Repressive Violence
Cluster
Classification
Group characterization
Groups in 1st Segment
Groups in 5th Segment
Segment Length
Success in achieving specific demands/goals
Survival
Growth
Total points
Notes on outcomes
Database Narrative
On 10 May 2012, Hyundai Motor Company and its union in South Korea began negotiating the terms of a new labour contract. Among other demands, the union demanded higher wages, an end to overnight shifts, and transition of all temporary workers to permanent positions. Negotiations stalled in the following months and finally collapsed on 28 June. Hyundai Motor company union subsequently called for a vote on holding strikes, and confirmed these plans on the 4 July, with an approval of 82.1% of its voting members.
The Hyundai Motor Company union began its strike on 13 July 2012, ending its three-year record of uninterrupted work. The union held limited strikes lasting for four hours from 1pm till 4pm. Night shift workers conducted strikes for 2 hours from 2am till 4am, and temporary workers also joined in with 4 hour strikes. The union members rallied in front of the car-making factory in Ulsan, singing and waving banners demanding that the company accede to their terms. Hyundai Motor Company denounced the strikes as counter-productive and warned that, given the weak economic environment due to the failing euro, the union strikes would only serve to damage the auto-industry, and the economic welfare of the workers themselves.
The union re-entered negotiations with the company, and in the meanwhile, continued to hold strikes. Union members refused to work overtime on 25 July and conducted strikes for 2 hours on the 26 and 27, causing production loss of 14,058 vehicles.
On 9 August, the union and the company resumed negotiations. The union timed strikes to begin with the negotiations, holding series of limited strikes from that date. Union members staged walkouts for 3 hours on the 8, 9, and 10 of August, and for 4 hours on the 13 and 14 of August. In addition, union members refused to work overtime on 11, 12, and 15 of August, and conducted a 2-hour strike on the 16 August. The Hyundai Motor Company temporary workers’ union held a one-day strike on the 16 August protesting the hiring of strikebreakers.
Negotiations between the union and the company stalled when the temporary workers’ union blocked the entrance to the meeting venue. Hyundai Motor Company union considered delaying the debate around the transition of temporary workers to permanent positions to a later date and the temporary workers’ union staged a lie-in to protest. The Hyundai Motor Company and its union could only meet from the 20 August. During this time, the temporary workers’ union reported cases of kidnapping and beating against its leaders. Indeed, the union members caught some of the perpetrators and identified them as Hyundai Motor Company security officials. The company denied involvement in the matter, and the union held press conferences to complain about the violence.
Union members gained some public support after Ewha Womans University and Seoul National University Student Associations both declared solidarity with temporary workers. They declared that they “fully supported the fight towards transition of all temporary workers to permanent positions.” The union held a 4-hour strike on 28 August, and escalated the conflict by holding 6-hour strikes on 29, and 30 August. Negotiations again stalled after the temporary workers’ union blocked the entrance to the meeting hall from 29 to 30 August.
The union and the company entered final phases of negotiations during the end of August and no strikes were held in that period. On the 4 September, the union declared it accepted the terms of the company, with 52.7% of its voting members in accordance. The final agreements contained increases in wages and an end to overnight shifts. Issues surrounding the temporary workers were to be debated at a later date. The temporary workers’ union protested strongly against these final arrangements through further rallies, but to no avail. The 2012 strike was the costliest strike in Hyundai Motor Company’s history, and incurred the loss of 79,362 vehicles in production.
Influences
Hyundai Motor Company union is known for its militant character. It has conducted strikes every year since its founding in 1987 to 2008 (1).
South Korea was embroiled in many other labour disputes, including those in the auto industry such as Kia Motors and General Motors. Conclusion of the Hyundai Motor Company dispute contributed positively to these negotiations (2).
Sources
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Kim, HyungOok. 2012. “현대차 임협 완전타결 조합원 투표 52.7% 찬성 가결.” (Hyundai Motors union vote 52.7% in favour of final agreement) edaily. Retrieved March 30, 2015 (http://web.archive.org/web/20150330041741/http://www.edaily.co.kr/news/NewsRead.edy?SCD=JC11&newsid=01111926599656840&DCD=A00301&OutLnkChk=Y).
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Park, Sukchul. 2012. “"현대차, 또 비정규직노조 간부 폭행" 주장 파문 확산.” (Further rumours of Hyundai Motors Company’s use of violence against union leaders) Ohmynews. Retrieved March 30, 2015 (http://web.archive.org/save/http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0001769204).
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