(MENAFN) Thousands of bus drivers in Seoul initiated a strike on Thursday due to a wage dispute, according to their union. The strike has impacted 97 percent of bus routes in the South Korean capital, causing chaos for commuters during rush hour.
This strike marks the first general strike by drivers since 2012. Negotiations on pay broke down early Thursday, leading to the escalation of the dispute. The drivers are demanding a 12.7 percent hourly wage increase.
Discussions are going to continue later in the day, a union representative informed a French news agency, further mentioning that "we cannot say at this point whether the strike will continue into tomorrow pending the outcome of the negotiations".
The strike has resulted in numerous bus stations being deserted as commuters have shifted to using the subway system to reach their destinations for work. Many commuters were caught off guard by the sudden news of the strike, leading to overcrowding and longer wait times at subway stations.
"I wasn't aware of the bus strike because I don't follow the news closely," Cho Min-sang reported to a South Korean media outlet. "I was puzzled because there were no bus schedules on the bus station screens."
Yoo Jae-yeon, a 37-year-old AI industry researcher, informed the French news agency that upon learning about the strike, she opted to work from home on Thursday. Despite the inconvenience, she expressed her support for the strike.
"I am willing to take some inconvenience that could incur from the labour-management negotiations," she declared.
To address the repercussions of the strike, the Seoul city government has implemented several measures. Firstly, it has extended subway operating hours until 2 am and has increased the frequency of trains during peak commuting hours. Additionally, the city government has deployed 480 non-union buses to alleviate the strain on transportation services.
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