금호타이어 (사진=연합뉴스)

 

[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Kim Jisun] According to the industry on the 22nd, Kumho Tire's office workers' union declared the breakdown of negotiations on the 15th after discussing 10 rounds of collective agreements with the company. The labor union applied for mediation of labor disputes to the National Labor Relations Commission on the 16th, and the National Labor Relations Commission will proceed with the first adjustment on the 23rd. The adjustment period is up to 20 days.

Kumho Tire's office workers' union is part of the so-called "MZ Generation Union," a Refresh Workers' Council. The Refresh Workers' Council was launched in February, criticizing the political struggles of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. Eleven unions, including Kumho Tire, LG Electronics' people-centered labor union, Seoul Transportation Corporation's right labor union, and Korea Gas Corporation's "The Cogas" labor union, are participating. Workers in their 20s and 30s were the main players.

Analysts say that if Kumho Tire's labor-management adjustment breaks down, the union could take out the strike card.

Kumho Tire's office workers' union members totaled 370, accounting for 26% of the total office workers.

Kumho Tire's sales in the first quarter of last year were 998.9 billion won, up 35% from a year earlier. Operating profit jumped 928.3% year-on-year to 54.5 billion won. Kumho Tire's quarterly operating profit exceeded KRW 50 billion in about eight years (KRW 55.3 billion in the second quarter of 2015).

 

[ⓒ AlphaBIZ. 무단전재-재배포 금지]