The wage and collective bargaining agreement (wage and collective agreement) negotiations between Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and the Korean Railway Workers' Union (railway union) were concluded a week after the general strike.
According to KORAIL and the railway union on the 11th, the labor and management reached a tentative agreement after concluding the main wage and collective agreement negotiations at around 3:35 p.m. that day.
The latest agreement includes key issues such as a 2.5% increase in base salary, approval of a four-group, two-shift system, reduction of outsourced personnel, introduction of a fair promotion system, and opposition to the installation of surveillance cameras for labor monitoring. The labor and management reached an agreement about 30 hours after resuming practical negotiations at around 10 a.m. the previous day.
The railway union plans to withdraw from the general strike and return to work from 7 p.m. on this day, seven days after initiating the general strike on the 5th. Prior to this, the labor and management conducted 17 rounds of negotiations (14 practical negotiations and 3 main negotiations) but did not reach a final agreement, leading the railway union to commence the general strike at 9 a.m. on the 5th.
In particular, there was a difference in opinion between the labor and management over the demand for a two-year freeze on salaries for management above grade 2. However, an agreement was reached to freeze management salaries for two years in exchange for returning this year’s salary increase and removing unused annual leave allowances. The tentative agreement will be finalized through a vote by the railway union members.
A representative from the railway union said, "The labor and management reached considerable agreement on wage increases, normalization of performance-based and unpaid wages, the four-group, two-shift system, personnel recruitment, and the implementation of a promotion point system," noting that "the withdrawal from the general strike and the return of members to work will begin at 7 p.m. today. If possible, all trains are expected to operate normally from the first train tomorrow."
KORAIL President Han Moon-hee expressed, "I once again apologize to the public for the inconvenience caused during this critical period," and added, "The labor and management will work together to normalize train operations as soon as possible."