Bus services across Gyeonggi Province could face major disruption on October 30 after the regional bus workers’ union announced plans for a full strike. The walkout would begin with the first buses of the day if a final mediation session at the Gyeonggi Regional Labor Relations Commission ends without an agreement on October 29.
- Final mediation
- October 29
- Planned strike
- From the first services on October 30
- Potentially affected fleet
- About 4,200 buses operated by 29 companies
The threatened action covers about 4,200 buses operated by 29 companies in the province. In a strike ballot held on October 23, 9,001 of the union’s 9,420 members participated, and 97.7 percent of those voting supported industrial action.
The union says Gyeonggi Province must fully implement an agreement discussed by labor, management and the provincial government under the bus public management system. Its central demand is a reduction in the wage gap between Gyeonggi bus workers and their counterparts in Seoul and other regions.
Pay, working hours and benefits drive the dispute
Additional demands include an accident-free reward program, influenza vaccinations for all union members and shorter working hours. The union says its members work 1.4 times the national average and is also seeking a guarantee of two consecutive days off each week.
Union representatives have criticized the province for postponing the full transition to the public management system until 2027 because of financial constraints. They argue that the wage agreement is also at risk of not being implemented and say substantive measures must be presented during the final mediation meeting to avert the strike.
The October 29 mediation session is now the key point for passengers and operators. If talks fail, commuters who depend on routes run by the 29 affected companies could encounter suspended services from the first departure on October 30.