Hyundai Motor's labor union has taken out a general strike card. This is a reaction against the "Gwangju-type Jobs" that aim to create jobs by building a new factory that pays half the annual salary of car production workers ranging from 70 million and 90 million won.
"Gwangju-type jobs will cause management failure due to the collusion between politics and business. If Hyundai Motor participates in the investment, we will stage a general strike," the labor union said in a statement on Oct. 31.
Gwangju-type jobs are supported by Gwangju City as the largest shareholder with various welfare programs and Hyundai Motor is supporting car development and production technologies as the second biggest shareholder.
The union said, "The Moon Jae-in administration, Gwangju City, and the company should be responsible for possible general strike." More than 100 people, including Ha Boo-young, chief of the Hyundai Motor labor union, staged a protest, holding placards "adamantly opposed" at its Ulsan plant.
In the meantime, many citizens in Gwangju City said, "A starting annual salary of 35 million won is a really good job, but we don't know why the labor community is against it. For our child's future, the government, Gwangju City and the labor community should cooperate."
High school students, college students and many local groups in Gwangju have issued statements hoping for the success of the Gwangju-type jobs.