South Korean cement output slashed as truckers strike02 December 2022This week the South Korean government stepped in with a presidential executive order to force striking cement truck drivers in the country to go back to work. The dispute has gained momentum since June, when the truckers first went on strike, and is made up of some 250,000 hardliner unionised truckers from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). The Cargo Truckers Solidarity Union (CTSU), which is affiliated to the KCTU, launched a nationwide protest, calling for the extension of "Safe Trucking Freight Rate (STFR)" policy beyond December 2022. The STFR policy guarantees a minimum annual wage for the truckers, most of whom are self-employed, to help them manage the surging fuel price rises and deter dangerous driving. Cement and construction sectors reel from strike actionThis week, the Korean Cement Association reported cement output totalled 22,000t on Monday, just 11 per cent of the seasonal average in the September-December peak period.
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