By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

About 19,000 subway workers in Seoul and three other cities threatened to go on strike early Wednesday morning after failing to narrow differences with management over wage increases and working conditions.

The threatened strike is feared to disrupt subway operations in Seoul, Pusan, Taegu and Inchon.

Union workers of Seoul City’s two subway operators finally decided to call a strike at 4 a.m., after turning down a compromise proposal for higher salaries and better working conditions, which was mediated by the district labor relations commission.

The labor dispute was immediately brought to the commission for arbitration. Subway unionists are banned from going on strike for 15 days until Aug. 3.

Despite the ban, Seoul subway workers were flexing their collective muscle by calling a strike in joint action with other subway unionists in Pusan, Taegu and Inchon.

The unionists have demanded 8-10 percent wage hikes and the recruitment of 6,200 more workers to cope with the July 1 introduction of the five-day workweek.

The state prosecution pledged to take harsh legal action against subway workers if they engage in illegal striking. And government and city officials were busy working out emergency transportation measures.

Unionists of LG Caltex Oil Corp. went on strike for the third straight day on Tuesday in the Yosu plant, although the labor commission banned the workers from walking out for a 15-day arbitration.

The company ordered the striking workers to return to work by 8 a.m., adding that those refusing the order would face civil and criminal responsibility for their illegal walkout.

The main dispute between subway unions and their management is over how to supplement the workforce following the shortened workweek system.

Workers claim the two subway corporations should hire a total of 6,248 additional employees to maintain operations while working five days a week. The managements, however, are refusing to increase workers, saying they would have to pay an additional 150 billion won per year despite the current deficit. They proposed to negotiate the manpower issue later.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr