South Korea yesterday ordered striking cement truck drivers back to work in a dramatic step it said was necessary because of the threat to the nation’s economy.
The government issued the order during a cabinet meeting led by South Korean President Yoon Suk yeol, and said that those who contravene it would face legal action.
It is the first time such a decree has been placed on drivers since it was enacted under the Trucking Transport Business Act in 2004.
Photo: AP
“I will firmly establish the rule of law between labor and management during my term,” Yoon said at the meeting. “I will never compromise with illegality, and the responsibility for illegal activities will be held strictly until the end.”
The Cargo Truckers Solidarity Union criticized the order in a statement, comparing it to “martial law” and vowing to continue its protest.
Talks between the union and the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport are scheduled to resume today after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on Monday.
The strike, which began on Thursday, has virtually suspended manufacturing and delivery of steel, cement and petroleum products. The number of containers moving in and out South Korea’s ports between 10am and 5pm on Monday fell 67 percent from normal levels, the ministry said.
The order is for now limited to truckers in the cement industry, as that sector has been hit hardest. Cement deliveries are down more than 90 percent, halting work at construction sites, South Korean Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho told a briefing.
This is the second major walkout by truck drivers this year, as the union demands that the government extend and expand a wage system guaranteeing minimum freight rates, citing surging fuel costs.
The drivers are in a “disastrous situation” where they have to drive all night to bear the soaring cost of oil, putting their safety at risk, the union said.
The protests are the latest instance of labor actions across the world threatening to upend economies and global trade. Supply chain workers are showing growing discontent from California to Bangladesh as food and energy costs soar after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden’s administration is moving to prevent a looming shutdown of the nation’s rail workers that could create major supply chain disruptions.
South Korea is also facing further turmoil amid widespread strikes in public transportation and other services across the country.
The labor pressures come as Yoon tries to keep the country’s economy on track amid rising energy prices and a slowdown in exports. The Bank of Korea last week opted for a small rise in interest rates as it seeks to minimize pressure on the economy while keeping inflation in check.
The return-to-work order shows the government is taking a tough stance toward labor. Those who defy it can face up to three years in prison or a fine of as much as 30 million won (US$22,593).
Some observers say the action could backfire.
“Ordering the workers back to work won’t resolve the issue, and will cause anger to fester unless the government offers something concrete in return,” said Michael Quinlan, an emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales’ School of Management and Governance.
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