Incheon Airport Strike Continues Through Holiday... Negotiation Attempts Underway

Rally marking the 10th day of the general strike by the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union, Incheon Airport Branch [Photo by Choi Yoon-sun]

Workers from subsidiary companies of Incheon International Airport, who have been on strike for ten days since the 1st demanding improved working conditions, will engage in negotiations with the subsidiaries today.

The Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union, Incheon Airport Branch, held a rally marking the 10th day of the strike on the 3rd floor of Incheon Airport's Terminal 1 this morning, shared the negotiation status, and stated, "We will make progress on the discussed matters today."

They have been on an indefinite strike since the 1st, demanding increased staffing and a reform of the shift work system within the year. Of the approximately 2,400 workers from Incheon Airport Services, which handles environmental cleaning, terminal operations, and parking management, 846 are currently participating in the strike.

Yang Kyung-soo, the president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, took the stage and emphasized, "How can an airport be world-class when workers are exhausted and collapsing? We will fight together until the day we win against Incheon International Airport Corporation."

The rally participants, estimated by police to be around 1,000, marched to Incheon International Airport Corporation to protest and then dispersed voluntarily.

Although approximately 330 replacement workers have been deployed, causing no disruptions to passenger processing or flight operations during the holiday period, the significant participation of environmental cleaning workers in the strike has led to inconvenience for passengers throughout the airport.

Specifically, restrooms on arrival and departure floors are not being cleaned properly, resulting in unpleasant odors, and trash is being left unattended in various areas of the airport.

A union official criticized, "The corporation's consistent attitude that there are no disruptions even with the strike is prolonging the strike, yet they can't even keep the visible areas clean." Yonhap News