Labor and management reach agreement at 59 out of 62 medical institutions

Labor and management at 59 of the 62 medical institutions where a general strike had been threatened reached a deal on Thursday after all-night negotiations.

However, the labor union at Chosun University Hospital went on strike on Thursday morning after the mediation failed.

The Korean Health and Medical Workers’ Union (KHMU) said Thursday that labor and management dramatically reached a deal at 59 of 62 medical institutions through mediation meetings and negotiations from Tuesday to early Thursday.

Of the three hospitals where labor disputes remain unresolved, Chosun University Hospital, Nowon Eulji Medical Center, and Honam Regional Rehabilitation Hospital went on a strike after holding ceremonies at 8 a.m. and a news conference at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Nowon Eulji Medical Center has decided to extend the mediation period until Sept. 11 and proceed with labor-management voluntary negotiations. Honam Regional Rehabilitation Hospital suspended the mediation as the labor and management could not narrow their differences. However, considering the inconvenience to patients, they decided to continue negotiations by staging a sit-in at the hospital lobby. If unresolved, they will hold a strike eve on Sept. 3.

The 59 other medical centers that settled have canceled their planned strikes.

“We will conduct support struggles, including interviews with hospital users, rallies, stirring up favorable public opinion, and struggles to condemn insincere bargaining to reach an early settlement at Chosun University Hospital, which is the only medical institution that went on a strike after beginning the dispute mediation process,” the union said.