After the Central Labor Relations Commission (CLRC) determined that subcontractors at Hanwha Ocean, including meal service providers, can negotiate directly with Hanwha Ocean, subcontracted workers applied to the Gyeongnam Regional Labor Relations Commission for labor dispute mediation.
The National Metal Workers' Union Geoje Tongyeong Goseong Shipbuilding Subcontractors' Chapter and the Welive Chapter, the union of partner companies handling meal service and commuter buses at Hanwha Ocean, submitted an application for labor dispute mediation to the Gyeongnam Regional Labor Relations Commission on the 22nd. The commission will hold a mediation meeting within 10 days. If the gap between labor and management is not narrowed, it may decide to halt mediation, and if mediation is halted, the union will be able to strike.
At a press conference, the subcontractors' union said it applied for dispute mediation in accordance with legal procedures, noting that "Hanwha Ocean is not coming to the table for talks even after the CLRC's decision."
The Welive Chapter held a strike ballot on whether to take industrial action against Hanwha Ocean on the 18th–19th. Of 437 members, 406 voted, and a strike was approved with 342 votes in favor (84.2%).
The Geoje Tongyeong Goseong Shipbuilding Subcontractors' Chapter is expected to proceed with a strike ballot after observing the outcome of the Gyeongnam Regional Labor Relations Commission's mediation. Earlier, on the 15th, the CLRC decided that the Welive Chapter can negotiate directly with Hanwha Ocean. It recognized the employer status of the prime contractor for noncore workers whose duties are not directly related to production.