Tower crane strike ends after five days with tentative wage deal

A nationwide strike by tower crane union workers in South Korea has concluded after five days, following a tentative agreement reached with employers. The strike, which began on May 27, ended on May 31 after negotiations involving both the Korean Federation of Trade Unions (KFTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) tower crane unions.

The tentative agreement includes an 8% increase in total wages, with the new wage structure set to take effect from January 1, 2028. This agreement was reached after extensive negotiations with the employers' association, the Tower Crane Safety Association.

In addition to the wage agreement, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport has committed to implementing follow-up measures. These measures aim to prevent low-cost contracts by reflecting actual labor costs in standard market pricing and unit costs. The ministry also pledged to conduct regular inspections to prevent wage arrears and enhance safety checks for smaller tower cranes.

With the tentative agreement and the ministry's commitments, the unions have decided to lift the occupation of approximately 2,100 tower cranes nationwide. The 3,100 union members who were on strike are expected to return to their workplaces on May 31. The unions will now proceed with a member vote to ratify the tentative agreement.