South Korean bus drivers return to work after strike causes rush-hour chaos
Al Jazeera
Seoul Bus Labor Union agrees to 4.48 percent wage rise to return to work.
Thousands of bus drivers in South Korea’s capital of Seoul have returned to work hours after launching a strike that caused chaos for rush-hour commuters
The Seoul Bus Labor Union on Thursday agreed to a 4.48 percent wage rise plus 650,000 won ($480) in holiday bonuses, the Seoul city government said, nearly 12 hours after the industrial action disrupted almost all bus routes in the capital.
The breakthrough cleared the way for the resumption of bus services ahead of the evening rush hour.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon had pleaded for a swift compromise between the two sides, saying residents’ livelihoods depended on the bus services.
Drivers began the strike, the first since 2012, at about 4am on Thursday after employers failed to agree to their demands for a 12.7 percent increase in hourly pay.
