The 48-hour strike comes despite several rounds of talks between the union and management to narrow differences over wages and other labor conditions.
The strike halted all production lines at a pickling plant in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, and some lines at a steel sheet plant in Pohang, North Gyengsang Province. These plants produce and process steel used in various industrial applications including high-end electrical steel.
The union had earlier threatened to strike unless the steelmaker came up with a revised offer, warning that further action could follow if its demands were not met.
It is seeking a 7.1-percent increase in base pay and an incentive payment equivalent to 600 percent of annual salaries, while management has offered a 2-percent increase with a payment of 3.5 million won (US$2,500).
The union secured the legal right to strike after mediation by the National Labor Relations Commission, a quasi-judicial agency that resolves labor and management disputes, broke down, while about 92.2 percent of union members backed the walkout.
POSCO president Lee Hee-geun met with union members in Pohang earlier this week, but the two sides failed to narrow their differences.
The steelmaker said there would be no major disruptions to overall production as it has prepared contingency measures including replacement workers, but prolonged strikes could eventually affect the production of cold-rolled, galvanized and electrical steel sheets.
AJP Takeaways
- POSCO workers began a 48-hour partial strike on Sept. 9, 2026, marking the steelmaker's first strike since its founding in 1968.
- The union is demanding a 7.1-percent base-pay increase and incentives equivalent to 600 percent of annual salaries, while POSCO has offered a 2-percent increase and a 3.5 million won payment.
- The strike has halted some production lines in Gwangyang and Pohang, but POSCO expects no major immediate disruption; prolonged industrial action could affect production of cold-rolled, galvanized and electrical steel sheets.
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