(2nd LD) Unionized rail workers end strike

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in 4th para and last four paras; CHANGES headline)
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- The embattled union of Korea Railroad (KORAIL) called
off its longest-ever strike Thursday after severely crippling the nation's rail
services for eight days.


The KORAIL union called a news conference Thursday evening to announce that its
striking members will return to work "in order to prepare for a fresh struggle
against the government and the KORAIL management."
The union then urged the management to resume dialogue in a "faithful and
reasonable" manner.
It said all unionized workers will return to work by 9 a.m. Friday.
"The latest strike has been staged lawfully and peacefully. From now on, we'll do
our best to ensure the railway system operates safely," the union said in the
press conference held at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a militant
labor umbrella group, in Seoul.
In a separate message sent earlier to the striking unionists, the chief of the
KORAIL union, Kim Ki-tae, said that the union leadership has decided to
conditionally end the walkout in return for resuming dialogue with company
management.
"The union now instructs all its 25,000 members to return to work to prepare for
a third round of strike," Kim said in the message.
"Our strike was a half-success, but we have yet to force management to reverse
the cancellation of the collective contract. The strike has been called off, but
the union orders stronger struggle."
A KORAIL official said in response to the message, "The rail union must have
surrendered."
KORAIL's unionized workers went on strike Nov. 26 due to a dispute with
management over company-wide restructuring measures centered on wage and staff
cuts.
As the prolonged strike took a heavy toll on the nation's passenger and cargo
transportations, President Lee Myung-bak and Cabinet ministers issued a series of
warnings asking the striking rail workers to return to work as soon as possible.
South Korea's big business organizations had released a joint statement calling
for the railway workers to end their nationwide strike, warning that the dispute
could derail the nation's economic recovery.
Public opinion also turned against the striking rail workers, as citizens and
freight owners became increasingly annoyed by disrupted services caused by the
protracted strike.
KORAIL immediately welcomed its union's decision to stop the walkout, but vowed
to file civil and criminal lawsuits against the masterminds of the strike, again
calling it "illegal."
"The end of the strike is welcomed. But it's regrettable for the union leadership
to order preparations for another strike. The company will force the masterminds
of the illegal strike to assume civil and criminal liability," said the state-run
company in a statement.
"The company will now deal with all labor issues in accordance with the law and
regulations."
ycm@yna.co.kr
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