Ruling party urges striking truckers to return to work
Rep. Sung Il-jong, second from right, top policymaker of the ruling People Power Party, speaks at an emergency consultation meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul, Nov. 29. Yonhap
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday called on striking cargo truck drivers to return to work, saying they are holding people "hostage" with their walkout.
The general strike of the members of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity Union, under the wing of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), is an "unfair business practice" and the tolerance on such actions have made the illegal acts a custom, Rep. Sung Il-jong, the PPP's top policymaker, said.
The unionized workers launched a nationwide strike Thursday, the second of its kind in less than six months, urging the government to meet their demand to make minimum freight rates permanent to improve their working conditions.
The government has warned the workers of a stern response and is considering an executive order to force them to return to work.
"The construction industry is most directly related to the economy and has the biggest influence on related businesses," Sung said. "A halt of the construction industry in South Korea means a halt of the country."
More than 500 places requiring ready-mixed concrete have suffered disruptions due to the strike, Vice Land Minister Lee Won-jae said, noting the damage from the strike is spreading across the country. (Yonhap)