Home plus union to strike during Chuseok

Unionized members of Home plus hold a press conference at the discount store’s outlet in Geumcheon, Seoul, Thursday, to announce a plan to strike for six days during the Chuseok holidays from Sept. 5 to 10. / Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

The labor union of Home plus, British Tesco’s Korean arm, vowed Thursday to strike for six days during the Chuseok holidays.

Members will walk out from Sept. 5 to 10 as the parties failed to narrow differences over wage increases, the union said.

About 2,000 cashiers and shelf stackers are expected to join the strike.

“We’ve decided to go on strike as management did not accept our demands on wage increases,” said union leader Kim Ki-won.

“The conglomerate, with sales of 10 trillion won, keeps ignoring our call to raise minimum wages. The government-set minimum wage growth for next year is even higher than that of Home plus.”

The union wants management to raise the minimum hourly by 500 won, while management is sticking to 200 won.

Union members are also in disputing additional allowances and other working conditions.

It staged a three-day general strike from Aug. 29 to 31. The two sides have failed to narrow their differences on wages, despite more than 10 negotiation sessions since April.

The union has also called on management to improve working conditions for part-time workers.

Meanwhile, Home plus said it was already paying more than the national minimum wage.

“The union members’ demanded an irrationally high 42 percent wage increase when starting negotiations, and keep changing their demands regarding wage issues,” said Home plus communication official Kang Jong-ho. “We are already paying more than the legal minimum wage.”

The company said in a statement that it expected outlets to remain normal because it would bring in substitute employees.

Labor lawyer Park Won-chul said, “It could be irrational to ignore the union’s demand only because the company is following the law.

“Negotiations should focus on giving workers a fair wage so they can lead a stable life.”