HD Hyundai union boss scales crane as wage talks collapse

In a dramatic escalation of labor unrest, the head of the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries union has staged a high-profile protest by climbing a 40-meter crane at the company’s Ulsan shipyard. This action, which began shortly before 10 am today, aims to pressure management into resuming stalled wage negotiations ahead of an upcoming public holiday. The protest has already caused significant disruptions to block-turnover operations, raising concerns about potential delays across production lines at one of the world’s largest shipyards.

Ongoing Negotiations and Rising Tensions

The situation at Hyundai Heavy Industries has been brewing since May, with over 20 negotiation sessions yielding no substantial agreements. Union members previously rejected a tentative offer in July that included a KRW133,000 ($97) increase to base pay and a KRW5.2 million ($3,800) bonus. Workers are now demanding a basic pay increase of KRW141,300, alongside requests for extended retirement ages and changes to performance bonus structures.

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The unrest is not limited to the Ulsan yard. Unions at HD Hyundai Mipo and HD Hyundai Samho have also initiated partial strikes, marking a rare coordinated action among the company’s three shipbuilding subsidiaries. In a show of solidarity, hundreds of union members gathered below the crane, protesting for seven hours, during which some violent incidents were reported and captured on video. The federated unions plan to escalate their actions further with a mass rally at HD Hyundai’s global R&D center near Seoul on September 12.

As tensions rise within the company, rival firms like Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean have successfully negotiated wage settlements, with Samsung confirming a tentative agreement pending a final vote. The Ulsan protest is reminiscent of past labor confrontations in South Korea’s shipbuilding sector, where crane occupations have become a hallmark of organized labor’s fight for better working conditions and pay.