Hyundai Steel labor talks collapse; union to seek arbitration Thursday

Hyundai Steel's union declared its 2026 wage and collective bargaining talks with management deadlocked Tuesday and said it plans to file for labor dispute mediation with the National Labor Relations Commission, a step toward securing the right to strike.

The two sides failed to reach an agreement during a seventh round of negotiations held Tuesday in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, according to the union.

Management declined to put forward a counter-proposal, citing internal and external conditions and the need for more time to review the union's demands. The union interpreted the move as a deliberate stalling tactic and declared the talks broken off.

The union plans to formally file for mediation with the National Labor Relations Commission on Thursday. If mediation fails after the mandatory 10-day period, the union will be entitled to call a strike.

The union is demanding a 150 percent increase in performance bonuses compared with last year, according to industry sources. It is also pushing for a 140,000-won (about $91) raise in base pay — a common demand across the Korean Metal Workers' Union — along with higher job-grade pay increments and improvements to welfare benefits, including a vehicle purchase subsidy.