Business · Companies · 1 hr ago
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Union Starts Five-Day Partial Strike
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ union began a five-day partial strike on Oct.
19 in Ulsan, South Korea.
All union members are scheduled to stop work for seven hours a day, from 9 a.m.
to 5 p.m., through Oct.
23, excluding lunch.
Workers rejected the first tentative wage and labor agreement in a vote on Oct.
2, with 52.14% of voters opposing it.
The proposed deal included a 120,000-won basic monthly pay rise, including a 50,000-won seniority increase, and lump-sum payments.
Two rounds of renewed talks produced no additional company offer, prompting the union to expand its strike plan to all members for all five days.
The dispute also includes a union branch leader’s sit-in on a crane and a hunger strike by a committee leader, who is protesting changes to working conditions after a company integration.
The strike is scheduled to continue through Oct.
23, while the sides’ wage negotiations remain unresolved.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ union began a five-day partial strike on Oct. 19, involving all union members.
The union plans daily seven-hour strikes through Oct. 23 at the company’s Ulsan headquarters and other locations.
The action follows members’ rejection of a tentative wage and labor agreement on Oct. 2.
The union expanded the strike plan after talks made no progress, and the company made no additional offer during two subsequent negotiations.
Union branch leader Kim Dong-ha began a crane protest near the Ulsan headquarters on Oct. 18.
- Who
- The HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union, the Metal Workers’ Union’s Hyundai Heavy Industries branch.
- What
- It began a five-day partial strike involving all members, for seven hours each day.
- When
- Oct. 19–23, 2026.
- Where
- The company’s Ulsan headquarters and other locations.
- Why
- Members rejected a tentative labor agreement, and negotiations made no progress.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
Strike
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union
The union expanded the action to five days of seven-hour strikes involving all members after talks made no progress.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
The company made no additional offer during two rounds of renewed negotiations, according to Yonhap.
Tentative agreement
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union
Union members rejected the proposed agreement, with 52.14% of voters opposing it.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
The company had agreed to a basic wage increase and one-time payments, but did not make a further offer after the vote.
The company and union held their first meeting in this year’s wage and labor negotiations.
The sides reached their first tentative agreement.
Union members rejected the tentative agreement, with 52.14% voting against it.
The sides held two further rounds of talks, but the company made no additional offer.
Branch leader Kim Dong-ha began a crane protest near the Ulsan headquarters.
The union began a five-day partial strike, with seven hours of action planned each day.
- Strike period
- Oct. 19–23, 2026
- Daily strike duration
- 7 hours, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding lunch
- Agreement vote
- 52.14% voted against the tentative agreement
- Proposed basic wage increase
- 120,000 won, including a 50,000 won step increase
- Crane protest height
- About 25 metres