Time to work, finally

Hyundai’s yearly struggle is finally over. The Korea’s biggest automobile company and its militant labor union have painfully reached an agreement over salary raises. Hyundai’s partial strikes seriously disrupted car production and exports, causing W1300 bn in losses coming from production stoppage.

Hyundai’s labor union is blamed for its extreme behaviors in pursuing self-interests, especially at a time when the overall car industry is suffering from cutthroat international competition, rising fuel prices, and sluggish consumer demand. What’s worse, its chairman has just been released on probation after having been arrested on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. And it is reported by Chosun Ilbo that Hyundai’s union headquarters has over 200 members who are solely dedicated to labor work and still paid by the company. According to the report, they don’t work for the company but for the interests of its members.

Labor Union is, by nature, interest-pursuing group, but there has to be certain line for it not to step into. The company and its union should seek to find a way toward “co-existence,” not “mutual destruction.” It can’t do good for nobody if one side tries to benefit from other’s suffering.