Hanjin Heavy to resume talks with union today

By Na Jeong-ju

Labor and management of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) will resume negotiations as early as today over how to deal with the 94 workers dismissed by the firm under a massive layoff plan, both sides said Monday.

“We will meet with HHIC Chairman Cho Nam-ho and other executives in a day or two to discuss the fired workers,” said a spokesman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), which will talk with management on behalf of the firm’s union.

Company officials also said discussion topics will include how to normalize the operation of its shipyards, which have posted heavy losses due to the longstanding dispute, and ultimately restore confidence among consumers.

The breakthrough came after labor and management accepted the National Assembly’s proposal to seek a compromise on disputed issues, including the fired workers.

Under the arbitration plan, the company would re-hire all the dismissed workers in one year and provide financial support of less than 20 million won per worker.

Last week, Chairman Cho promised to accept the proposal and seek ways to improve labor relations during a parliamentary hearing.

It is still too early to say whether HHIC’s labor and management would find common ground during the upcoming negotiations. The union is demanding full compensation of wages and benefits for the dismissed workers once they are reemployed. The company said it can’t accept that demand.

Thousands of labor activists, civic group members and citizens have held the so-called Hope Bus rallies for the past few months to demand a withdrawal of the layoffs and to support the union. Kim Jin-suk, a member of the KCTU’s Busan branch, has held a sit-in atop a 50-meter-high giant crane at the company’s Yeongdo shipyard since Jan. 6.