Seoul Subway Workers' Union Strike Cancelled...a last-minute negotiation

[Anchor]
The wage and collective agreement negotiations between the labor and management of the Seoul Transportation Corporation, which operates Seoul Subway Line 1 to Line 8, have been dramatically concluded.

The feared subway chaos could have been avoided by the union's withdrawal of the general strike, but the rail union strike continues, so the disruption of the line will continue for the time being.

This is reporter Cha Jung-yoon.

[Reporter]
After more than 10 hours of overnight marathon negotiations, the labor and management of the Seoul Transportation Corporation reached an agreement.

The negotiations were concluded dramatically at dawn just hours before the union's planned general strike.

The wage increase rate was agreed to be 2.5%, a guideline for labor costs for public institutions this year, and the number of new hires was also decided to increase from that originally approved.

[Kim Tae-kyun / Chairman of the 1st Labor Union of the Seoul Transportation Corporation: We have decided to hire 630 new employees for safety. We have confirmed the suspension of the introduction of the single-person flight system.]

The third union, which is composed of young members in their 20s and 30s, also reached an agreement by leading the welfare system for work-family balance to the table.

[Song Si-young / Chairman of the Seoul Transportation Corporation's Right Union (3rd union): We introduced a four-day week leave system for pregnant employees, and introduced half-and-half-day leave so that they can work in a better environment for raising children.]

The general strike on the Seoul subway, which had been predicted as a dramatic agreement between labor and management, was withdrawn.

However, as the railroad union's general strike continues, civil inconvenience is expected to continue for the time being.

On the first day of the railway union strike, more than 200 train services were canceled, and subway service rates in the Seoul metropolitan area, including some lines on lines 1, 3, and 4, Gyeongui Central and Suinbundang lines, recorded 83% of normal and 73% of KTX.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is taking emergency transportation measures by increasing the number of alternative transportation operations, including city buses during commuting hours, and adding additional safety personnel in the station.

I'm YTN's Cha Jung Yoon.

Reporter for shooting
: Wang Xion
Video editing: Park Jung-ran