A compromise deal was struck yesterday (15 December) between management and unionists of Haitai Confectionary and Foods, a subsidiary of Crown Confectionary, South Korea’s second biggest snack producer.
According to press reports, the deal ended the union’s boycott of Crown products and the 170-day long strike, which forced the company to shut down its factories in early September.
Industrial action began in June following Crown’s takeover of the bankrupt Haitai in January, when the company was besieged by rumours of restructuring and likely lay-offs.
Negotiations centred on the issues of wages and collective bargaining rights.
The settlement saw both sides dropping civil and criminal lawsuits against one another. The union agreed to leave potential wage increases at the discretion of the management, while Crown agreed to minimise disciplinary action against unionists, reported the newswire Asia Pulse.
The agreement failed to resolve the contentious question of future restructuring.
