Korean strikers protest shorter week

Staff and wires

Power workers striking in April. Korean workers say a shorter week will cut their income

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SEOUL, South Korea -- More than 100,000 members of South Korea's largest union are expected to strike Tuesday demanding the government drops plans to shorten the work week.

Around 150,000 workers are expected to walk off the job at noon, a spokesman from the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) told CNN.

Workers oppose plans to shorten the week to 40 hours from 44, saying it will cut into their income because they will get fewer public holidays in return for getting the whole of Saturday off.

The strike call by the 640,000-strong KCTU could hit some of the country's biggest companies -- with workers from auto giants Hyundai motor, Kia motors and Ssangyong motor set to take part.

South Korea's labor minister has called the planned strike "illegal" -- Seoul does not allow public servants to form unions -- and says it will be dealt with sternly. Police have already been ordered to block the rallies.

Flexing muscle

Labor Minister Bang Yong-seok told reporters around 73 percent of South Koreans are in favor of the dropping a half-day from their working schedule to work a five-day week.

Analysts say the strikes hint that interest groups, especially labor unions, want to flex their muscles ahead of December presidential elections.

In another dispute, thousands of public servants began a two-day work stoppage on Monday, demanding government recognition and better working conditions.

Industrial chaos was a South Korean trademark in the 1980s when workers fought for better working conditions and rights under military regimes.

Financial markets barely blinked at the prospect of an industrial stand-off. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed up nearly four percent.

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