The Metal Workers' Union's Chungnam branch organized a large rally, stating, "If we do not achieve primary negotiations, we will not conclude this year's central negotiations early," and emphasized, "We will fight until we secure primary negotiations."
The rally, which began at 2 p.m., reportedly drew around 2,100 participants, accounting for 70% of Hyundai Steel's 3,000 non-regular employees. Participants wore headbands inscribed with "struggle" and "general strike," holding signs that read, "Hyundai Steel must take responsibility," while chanting slogans.
The union has been demanding primary negotiations since 2021 and claims that Hyundai Steel has repeatedly ignored their requests this year. Tensions escalated when the company failed to attend scheduled meetings on June 12 and June 19.
The non-regular workers' union plans to escalate their actions if Hyundai Steel continues to refuse negotiations. They are set to hold a second rally and partial strike on July 15, with additional partial strikes planned if the situation does not improve, potentially leading to a general strike.
Lee Sang-ho, head of the Chungnam branch, stated, "Non-regular workers are responsible for key production processes at Hyundai Steel, yet they are not guaranteed their rightful negotiation rights. We will fight until the day the primary negotiations commence."
The union is also open to the possibility of joint action with regular workers and subsidiary unions. While there are no specific plans for solidarity yet, they indicated that a shared understanding on the primary negotiation issue could lead to coordinated efforts. The regular workers' union at Hyundai Steel has already secured the right to strike after negotiations over wages and collective agreements broke down this year.
Industry insiders believe that if both primary and subcontracted unions unite, production disruptions at Hyundai Steel are inevitable. Hyundai Steel is a key materials supplier for the Hyundai Motor Group, producing 14.5 million tons of steel annually at its plants in Dangjin, Suncheon, and Incheon.
An industry source noted, "While the impact may be limited with just the non-regular workers' union, the potential for production disruptions increases significantly if the regular workers' union joins in. Any issues with Hyundai Steel's supply of automotive steel could ultimately burden Hyundai Motor's production plans."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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