“Union members will end their strike and they will immediately return to work,” Cho Yun-Ho, a spokesman for the union of Korea Railroad (KORAIL), told journalists.
“However, this decision does not mean an end to our struggle. We will push through with our demand even after we return to work,” he said.
Cho said the union would demand that management reinstates 2,244 union activists who had been suspended from their jobs on Thursday and Friday as a prelude to further action against them, including dismissal or wage cuts.
KORAIL President Lee Chul earlier said the company would sue striking workers for damages caused by the illegal strike, declaring there will be no more negotiations with the striking workers until their return.
The labour action caused an estimated loss of more than 10 million dollars for the government-funded corporation and left millions of commuters stranded on crowded platforms.
The decision came as the strike showed signs of fizzling out as more workers returned to work in the face of a government crackdown and a management law suit threat against union activists.
KORAIL’s 16,000 employees walked off the job Wednesday, demanding that union leaders fired during past strike action be re-hired and that 500 female staff working on high-speed KTX trains receive improved job security and benefits.
Strike fever initially ebbed after an umbrella labour union called off a nationwide general strike Friday, claiming victory after parliament put off voting on a controversial bill aimed at introducing more flexibility in the labour market.
The militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) staged a nationwide walkout Tuesday and Thursday in opposition to the bill.
Strong warnings from the government, management’s threats to sue striking workers and a nationwide manhunt for union leaders also apparently caused workers to break ranks and return to duty.
The South Korean government warned the striking railway workers Friday to return to their jobs or face the highest level of legal punishment.
The National Police Agency said police had received court-issued warrants to arrest 15 more union activists on top of 11 others who have gone into hiding to avoid the manhunt.
Police intervened for the first time on Friday, arresting 32 union members at a rally in northern Seoul. More arrests were reported in provincial cities including Daejeon.
