{"id":2201687,"date":"2023-07-14T08:00:29","date_gmt":"2023-07-13T23:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201687"},"modified":"2023-07-13T17:59:47","modified_gmt":"2023-07-13T08:59:47","slug":"nationwide-strike-by-healthcare-workers-erupts-despite-government-criticism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/07\/nationwide-strike-by-healthcare-workers-erupts-despite-government-criticism\/","title":{"rendered":"Nationwide strike by healthcare workers erupts despite government criticism"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Korean Health and Medical Workers\u2019 Union (KHMU), comprising approximately 45,000 nurses and caregivers from 140 medical institutions across the country, launched a <\/span>nationwide strike<\/span><\/a> on Thursday. The strike, the first by the group in 19 years and the largest to date, is in response to the government\u2019s alleged failure to fulfill a 2021 agreement to hire more medical personnel and improve their working conditions. The union\u2019s <\/span>demands<\/span><\/a> include an expansion in the number of medical personnel, the establishment of standards for adequate workforce levels for each occupation and fair compensation for medical workers who served during the COVID-19 pandemic. The KHMU, which is associated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a militant umbrella union, is striking at the same time as when the KCTU is staging a separate <\/span>two-week general strike<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The South Korean government has <\/span>criticized<\/span><\/a> the strike, with second vice minister of health Park Min-soo stating that the union should negotiate with their management, not demand government policy changes. Park has also warned that the government might invoke <\/span>Article 59 of the Medical Service Act<\/span><\/a>, which allows the Minister of Health and Welfare to order medical workers to return to work if their absence is likely to cause significant difficulties in providing medical treatment to patients.<\/span><\/p>\n

The strike has already caused <\/span>disruptions<\/span><\/a> in medical services, with Pusan National University Hospital canceling all surgeries scheduled for Thursday and Friday and the National Cancer Center not accepting new patients this week. The strike has also drawn criticism from other medical organizations, including the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which <\/span>argues<\/span><\/a> that the strike could endanger patients\u2019 lives and has called for the KHMU to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiations with the government. The KHMU has warned of an indefinite strike if the government does not address its concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why It Matters<\/b><\/p>\n

The impact of the strike on patients is expected to be manageable if it lasts for two days as is currently planned. However, if the KHMU follows through on its threat to extend the strike indefinitely, the impact could be significantly more substantial.<\/span><\/p>\n

The response of the South Korean government is a critical factor in this situation. President Yoon Suk-yeol has indicated his intention to <\/span>respond decisively<\/span><\/a> to those engaging in political strikes or illegal demonstrations. He has <\/span>expressed<\/span><\/a> strong opposition to what he describes as the use of political strikes and illegal protests to \u201cblackmail\u201d the government and disrupt the economy, particularly in the wake of the two-week strike initiated by the KCTU.<\/span><\/p>\n

The warning by second vice minister Park Min-soo that the government might invoke a back-to-work order is not without precedent. During a prolonged truckers\u2019 strike last year, Yoon <\/span>issued<\/span><\/a> an unprecedented return-to-work order for striking cement truck drivers. This order required drivers to resume their duties or face penalties. It is worth noting that Yoon\u2019s <\/span>approval ratings<\/span><\/a> experienced a modest increase after he adopted a hardline stance toward the striking truck drivers last year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Business & Economy<\/span><\/a>Culture & Society<\/span><\/a>Domestic Politics<\/span><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Korean Health and Medical Workers\u2019 Union (KHMU), comprising approximately 45,000 nurses and caregivers from 140 medical institutions across the country, launched a nationwide strike on Thursday. The strike, the first by the group in 19 years and the largest to date, is in response to the government\u2019s alleged failure to fulfill a 2021 agreement […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10407,"featured_media":2201688,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[24,25,27],"class_list":["post-2201687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-briefings","tag-business-economy","tag-culture-society","tag-domestic-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nNationwide strike by healthcare workers erupts despite government criticism - KOREA PRO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/07\/nationwide-strike-by-healthcare-workers-erupts-despite-government-criticism\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nationwide strike by healthcare workers erupts despite government criticism - KOREA PRO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Korean Health and Medical Workers\u2019 Union (KHMU), comprising approximately 45,000 nurses and caregivers from 140 medical institutions across the country, launched a nationwide strike on Thursday. 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