SEOUL - South Korea is facing a worsening labour crisis as strikes staged by unionised workers from various sectors are causing disruptions in major services and industries.

Subway trains were delayed on Wednesday as thousands of workers became the latest to stage walkouts, joining a group of cargo truck drivers who have been on strike and disrupting the country’s logistics network since Nov 24.

Railway employees are slated to follow suit on Friday.

Medical staff and school workers have already staged separate one-day walkouts last week, and the aggressive Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), which has over a million members, is planning to hold a nationwide strike on Dec 6. 

Experts said the KCTU is known to oppose every labour policy aimed at helping businesses at the expense of workers, and that clashes with the pro-business administration of the newly-inaugurated President Yoon Suk-yeol are to be expected.

The experts urged the government to end the strikes swiftly to minimise damage to the economy.

An eight-day walkout by truckers in June had caused industries such as car making, steel and cement to lose around 2 trillion won (S$2 billion) in total.

This time, the construction industry is the worst hit with work at over 500 building sites stalled as cement supplies dried up.

President Yoon on Tuesday issued an order for cement truckers to return to work within 24 hours. If not, they may face punishment such as fines, cancellation of business licences and up to three years in jail. 

“Taking the livelihoods of ordinary people and the national economy hostage for their own needs is not justifiable,” he said, noting that some union members have even assaulted those who refused to join the strike. 

The presidential office has said the same order may be applied to truckers working for other industries, and that the government will not seek any compromise that goes against the rule of law.

The truckers are demanding more pay to offset surging fuel costs and an extension of a government support system that guarantees a minimum payment for them, which is slated to end in December.

Negotiations between the government and the Cargo Truckers Solidarity union on Wednesday broke down after just 40 minutes, marking the second round of failed discussions. 

Land Minister Won Hee-ryong has ruled out more talks, saying that the union, which has pledged to ignore the return-to-work order, is not committed to seeking solutions. 

Meanwhile, subway workers are protesting against plans by Seoul Metro to lay off more than 1,500 employees by 2026 in areas where their service is no longer needed due to the adoption of new technology, while railway employees are seeking the withdrawal of government plans to privatise rail companies. 

Medical workers went on strike demanding more manpower, while school staff wanted the government to reform the wage system for non-regular workers and improve their work conditions.

Labour expert Bae Kiu-sik warned of more labour strikes in months ahead, as the KCTU is known for not backing down until it gets what it wants.

He pointed out that President Yoon’s stance on labour issues is more hardline compared to his predecessor Mr Moon Jae-in who implemented labour-friendly policies such as raising minimum wage, converting temporary work contracts into permanent ones, and introducing a 52-hour work week rule.

“The government’s attitude towards the strikes is quite tough this time,” said Dr Bae, a retired research fellow at the Korea Labour Institute. 

“The conservative groups and employers may support the government’s decisions, but trade unions and workers will not be happy. There are gains and losses at the same time.” 

The JoongAng Ilbo newspaper in an editorial on Tuesday urged the government to “wisely handle the situation”, stressing the need to find room for dialogue while upholding the labour law.

The Korea Times in an editorial on Wednesday urged more efforts from both sides to find a compromise, noting that “sticking to an all-or-nothing strategy will not help find a solution”, given the worsening economic climate.

Dr Bae also warned of public fatigue towards the strikes. 

“There are too many strikes and some people are fed up with all the disruptions,” he told The Straits Times. 

“People are more sympathetic towards the plight of temporary workers going on strike, but not so much towards permanent workers in big companies and the public sector, as they are relatively well compensated and their employment is guaranteed.

“For truckers, the reaction is mixed because people are not sure about their situation. They are confused over whose argument is right - the government or the truckers? The government needs to investigate the situation and come up with a solution.”