South Korea’s Yoon prepares to widen back-to-work order amid truckers’ strike By Reuters

By Choonsik Yoo and Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday ordered preparations for widening a back-to-work order past the cement trade amid a protracted truckers’ strike.

1000’s of South Korean truckers have been on strike for greater than 10 days, with negotiators for the federal government and unions making no progress on disagreements over minimal pay guidelines.

Yoon, a conservative, on Tuesday invoked a “begin work” order, the primary within the nation’s historical past, on 2,500 drivers within the cement trade, requiring them to return to the highway or face penalties.

On Sunday Yoon known as on authorities ministers to make preparations to subject a return-to-work order on such sectors as oil refining and steelmaking, the place extra injury is anticipated, spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung stated in an announcement.

Yoon known as for punishment of these violating legal guidelines through the strike, ordering ministers to take motion to minimise injury, resembling using various drivers, army personnel and army gear.

The Korean Confederation of Commerce Unions, an umbrella group, is planning a common strike for Tuesday.

“I can not however regard this deliberate strike as a politically motivated motion, moderately than one aimed toward representing the employees’ rights,” Yoon stated, in accordance with Lee, signalling a probably harsh response from the federal government.

“Holding the individuals’s dwelling and nationwide economic system hostage right now of financial issue makes the survival of weak, unorganised employees more durable and deprives future generations and most people of their future jobs,” Yoon stated.

The strikes have disrupted South Korea’s provide chain, and price 1.6 trillion received ($1.2 billion) in misplaced shipments over the primary seven days, the trade ministry stated on Thursday.

The federal government has stated it might not develop a minimal pay system for truckers past an additional three years. The union says it ought to be everlasting and wider in scope.

1000’s demonstrated in downtown Seoul on Saturday in help of the truckers’ calls for.