Following a seven-hour partial strike and occupation of shipyard cranes on September 10, the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union’s protests have escalated again.
According to South Korean media reports, the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union announced a full-scale strike starting at 8 a.m. on September 11, to continue until management presents a positive negotiation proposal. This follows 11 partial strikes by the union, but marks the first time it has launched a full-scale strike.
Reports indicate that although most union members have joined the strike, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard has not yet experienced significant production disruptions. Shipbuilding sites typically differ from automotive assembly lines—where partial strikes can halt entire production lines—as shipbuilding operates through process-based division of labor. As long as the majority of workers continue operations, it does not lead to simultaneous disruption of all production.
Regarding this strike action, the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union had originally planned a seven-hour partial strike cycle from September 9 to 12. However, on September 10, Baek Ho-sun, head of the union’s branch at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, cli ambed 40-meter-high crane within the shipyard to stage a high-altitude protest, urging management to make a decision. Consequently, the strike was escalated to a full-scale action.
This crane is a critical piece of equipment used to flip large blocks during shipbuilding. Should this equipment cease operation, the production and assembly schedule for the hull blocks would be disrupted, leading to losses such as delayed ship delivery.
After the high-altitude protest began, there was a conflict between union members who tried to maintain the protest site and the employer’s security personnel. During the process, a female union member was elbowed in the face by the security personnel and has been sent to the hospital for treatment.
Starting at 8:00 a.m. on September 12, the Hyundai Heavy Industries labor union launched a full-scale strike for the second consecutive day as planned. The extent of production disruption at the shipyard fluctuates with the participation rate of union members in the strike.
Although the first day of the full-scale strike (the 11th) did not significantly impact production, the cranes occupied by the union have ceased operations. Should the protests persist, it is anticipated that processes related to ship section structures will be affected. Currently, Baek Ho-sun, head of the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union branch, has been protesting atop a 40-meter-high crane for three days.
Starting at 3:00 PM on September 12, the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union held a general strike rally in front of the HD Hyundai Group headquarters in Ulsan. Multiple subsidiaries under HD Hyundai, including HD Hyundai Mipo and HD Hyundai Samho, participated in the rally, demanding that management engage in sincere negotiations.
Since initiating wage negotiations on May 20, labor and management at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries have held over 20 rounds of talks. While both sides agree that commensurate wage increases should be implemented during the shipbuilding industry’s boom period, they remain divided on the specific adjustment methods. The union demands a raise centered on base wages, while management favors increasing performance bonuses that can flexibly respond to order conditions and global economic factors.
In July of this year, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ management and labor reached a tentative agreement that included a base wage increase of 133,000 won (ncluding seniority-based raises), a 5.2 million won incentive payment, a special allowance (100% of the agreed salary), and standard performance bonuses. However, this agreement was rejected by union members, and negotiations have since made no substantial progress.
As of now, HD Hyundai Mipo and HD Hyundai Samho have not received any negotiation proposals from the investor. Both companies are closely monitoring the progress of negotiations with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and adjusting their own negotiation pace accordingly.
According to the latest reports, the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union plans to convene a meeting on September 15 to discuss the direction of subsequent protests based on the progress of negotiations.