Hyundai Motor workers on strike against FTA
Friday, 29 June 2007
SEOUL, June 28 (AFP): Workers at South Korea's top automaker Hyundai Motor launched a partial strike today to join an industry-wide walkout in protest at a free trade agreement with the United States.
"Our assembly lines remained crippled from 1:00 pm (0400 GMT) due to a four-hour strike," a Hyundai Motor official told the news agency, adding unionised workers at Hyundai's affiliate Kia Motors also downed tools.
The two-day strike comes as the United States and South Korea are set to sign the free trade agreement reached on April 2 after 10 months of tough negotiations.
The two countries completed renegotiating the deal this week to reflect Washington's new commerce guidelines, awaiting for approval from their governments.
"Our assembly lines remained crippled from 1:00 pm (0400 GMT) due to a four-hour strike," a Hyundai Motor official told the news agency, adding unionised workers at Hyundai's affiliate Kia Motors also downed tools.
The two-day strike comes as the United States and South Korea are set to sign the free trade agreement reached on April 2 after 10 months of tough negotiations.
The two countries completed renegotiating the deal this week to reflect Washington's new commerce guidelines, awaiting for approval from their governments.