Buses in Seoul to stop from tomorrow's first train...Seoul city makes every effort to provide alternative transportation

The city buses in Seoul, South Korea, are going on strike for the second consecutive year. The Seoul city bus labor union will go on strike from the 28th of this month, and the city will be shutting down buses during rush hour.
According to the Seoul City Bus Labor and Management on the 27th, the two sides have held a total of nine rounds of negotiations and the second round of wage agreement adjustment meetings on the 29th of last month has failed,
Although working-level discussions had been held until recently, the gap between the two sides had not been bridged. On the day of the deadline for negotiations, the two sides held a final closed-door negotiation at a location in Seoul, but the negotiations were proving difficult.
However, the differences in opinions were so great that there was little room for adjustment, and no final settlement was reached. Labor and management have been in fierce conflict over regular wages up until now. First, the employers' side filed suit against the Supreme Court.
If the full bench decision was followed, regular bonuses would be reflected in regular wages, and all of the labor union's demands for increases would be accepted, resulting in a 25% wage increase.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, which operates semi-public facilities, also said it was necessary to revise the wage system, as personnel costs were a major burden on the city's finances.
On the other hand, the labor union counters that regular wages are not only workers' rights, but also an issue that should be resolved in court and therefore cannot be subject to negotiation.
The labor union is of the opinion that the rate of increase should be negotiated. Since no agreement was reached by this date, the labor union will go on strike as scheduled from the first train of the year on the 28th.
The main issue at stake is the restructuring of the regular wage system, and it has been pointed out that the strike may be prolonged, unlike last year. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has taken emergency measures to minimize the inconvenience to citizens.
The government plans to take comprehensive measures, including setting new rules for the number of subway trains operated per day. The number of subway trains operated per day will be increased by 173, mainly during rush hour, and the operating time of the last train will be extended. In addition, the government will set new rules for major hubs and residential areas in each ward (municipality).
A free shuttle bus will also be operated to allow quick access from the area to the subway station.