SEOUL, June 15 (Reuters) - South Korea's unionised truckers drove a strong bargain with their largely peaceful strike action proving effective without antagonising a public largely unsympathetic towards unions after years of militant action.
But the group of ageing drivers are often seen as outliers in the country's combative and politicised industrial landscape and their success may not be a harbinger of any wider labour market peace, experts say.
The Cargo Truckers Solidarity is not a recognised union, a reason the government cited initially for its reluctance to sit down to negotiate over demands for minimum freight rates and subsidies to offset soaring fuel prices.
Still, in just eight days of a walk-out, the truckers managed to hit key industrial hubs and seaports, crippling the movement of finished cars, steel and petrochemical products. read more
While the strike cost Asia's fourth largest economy more than $1.2 billion in lost production and failed deliveries, the truckers avoided blocking roads or holding violent rallies that might have angered a public weary of demands by unionists who are better compensated than non-union peers and small business owners.
"The labour came to learn that physical conflict was not the answer, and so a gentler strike is becoming a standard practice," said Kim Dong-won, management professor at Korea University. "The union has to look at public opinion, too."
Chung-Ang University professor Lee Byoung-Hoon, who specialises in work...
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