Workers from 15 airports across South Korea are gearing up for a general strike this Friday

Workers from 15 airports across South Korea, including the two largest, Incheon International Airport (ICN/RKSI) and Gimpo International Airport (GMP/RKSS), are set to begin a general strike this Friday, the 19th of September lasting through the Chuseok holiday.

The strike is led by the National Alliance of Airport Workers, made up of the Incheon Airport Regional Branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' Public Transport Workers' Union and the National Airport Workers' Union. With around 15,000 members, this marks the first time these two unions have united for a general strike.

They are pushing for a shift from the current 3-shift, 2-rotation system at Incheon Airport and Gimpo Airport, which has been associated with occupational deaths, heart issues, infertility, and miscarriages, to a 4-shift, 2-rotation system. 

The current shift pattern operates with three teams on two shifts.
As such, workers are typically assigned two consecutive day shifts followed by two consecutive night shifts to maintain round-the-clock airport operations.

The workers are requesting a rotating schedule split into four teams, allowing for a lengthier rest after night shifts. They are also advocating for more staff to match the fourth-phase expansion of Incheon Airport.

Union members mainly belong to airport subsidiaries and are responsible for runway and terminal maintenance, firefighting services, and electrical systems management.

The alliance is demanding:

(1) Transition from 3-shift, 2-rotation to 4-shift, 2-rotation at Incheon Airport.

(2) Staffing increases for the fourth-phase expansion of Incheon Airport.

(3) Improvement of working conditions for subsidiary employees at airports nationwide.

However, air travel will not be 'completely' halted at the airports as it is legally mandated to continue even during strikes.

Considering that even without a strike during the previous Lunar New Year holidays, airports experience delays of 5-8 hours each year. Disruptions on Friday will see flight delays and flight cancellations and massive knock-on delays during the Chuseok holiday weekend.

Chuseok, along with the Lunar New Year, is one of the longest and most celebrated holidays for Koreans. This year’s Chuseok is particularly long, as the usual three-day holiday comes just after the National Foundation Day, a two-day weekend and Hangul Day, amounting to a weeklong holiday.