South Korea Faces Transportation Gridlock Due to Threatened Subway Strike

It looks like there could be some serious gridlock if the subway workers strike as planned to stop the implementing of performance based pay:

The Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union will enter an all-out strike from today, while metros in Seoul and Busan also announced a strike from today, which comes as worrying news for many commuters who fear they may have to contend with nationwide paralyzed underground and railroad traffic.

The announcement on Monday heralds the first time in 22 years that the transport workers’ union and public metro companies in Seoul decided to hold a simultaneous strike.

The transport workers’ strikes follow a general strike by the Korean Financial Industry Union since Friday, and will be followed by another from Korean Health and Medical Workers’ Union on Wednesday and by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on Thursday.

The unions are protesting the central government’s plan to extend the performance-based salary system to more employees of public companies and organizations.  [Joong Ang Ilbo]

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