The South Korean government invoked emergency powers yesterday to end a walkout by unionized pilots at Korean Air Co, the nation's largest airline.
The intervention marked the fourth time since 1969 -- and the second this year -- that the government has utilized its right to bust strikes in industries deemed crucial to the national economy.
Labor Minister Kim Dae-hwan made the announcement at a nationally televised press conference on the fourth day of the strike, which began early on Thursday when pilots walked off the job seeking higher pay.
Korean Air, the nation's largest passenger carrier and the world's biggest cargo airline, was forced to cancel hundreds of flights, including domestic and international passenger service as well as cargo routes.
The airline flies over much of the world. Its extensive passenger network includes Chicago, London, New York, Prague, Rome, Moscow, Istanbul, Los Angeles, Vladivostok, Tokyo, Toronto, Honolulu and Sydney, among others.
The government took a hard line on the strike from the beginning, indicating it wouldn't wait the 25 days it took before forcing an end to a walkout by pilots at Asiana Airlines Inc, the country's second-largest carrier, in August.
"The repeated strikes by airlines are hurting the competitive power of the national economy as well as its credibility," Kim said at the press conference, calling "very regrettable" the government being forced to act.
Union spokesman Park Byung-ryul said that striking pilots voted overwhelmingly to adhere to the order to return to work, but were angry with the government's move.
"It's unfair," Park said, adding that government intervention means management never had to change its negotiating position.
Park, who flies long-haul Boeing 747-400 jets for the airline, called the action "harmful to future relations" between the company and the labor union.
The union made several compromises in negotiations after the strike began. Korean Air made no concessions, sticking with its offer of a 2.5 percent increase in basic pay, which pilots had criticized as insufficient.
Last year, captains at Korean Air earned an average of 120 million won (US$116,000) in total compensation including basic pay, flight pay and bonuses, according to the airline. First officers earned an average of 88 million won (US$85,000).
The government also intervened to stop labor unrest in 1993 at Hyundai Motor Co and in 1969 at Korea Shipbuilding Corp.
Under the powers, the ministry can order the pilots back to work and force the two sides to negot-iate. If they fail to achieve an agreement, the government can force one through a special arbitration body.
The airline has said the union's demands for more money are unacceptable due to unfavorable business conditions, including high oil prices. Pilots rejected that argument, saying the airline was making up for high oil prices with fuel surcharges.
Park said more than 1,000 of the union's about 1,340 members joined the strike.
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