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Irregular School Staff Launch Nationwide Relay Strike Starting Thursday

Authorities have activated emergency plans following stalled wage talks.

Overview

  • Two-day walkouts are set for Nov. 20–21 and Dec. 4–5, with strikes rotating by region across all 17 provincial and metropolitan jurisdictions.
  • Roughly 94,000 nonregular workers, including cafeteria, after-school care, cleaning and other support staff, are participating.
  • The first phase targets schools in Seoul, Incheon, Sejong, Gangwon and North Chungcheong on day one, then Gwangju, South and North Jeolla and Jeju on day two, followed by Gyeonggi, Daejeon and South Chungcheong on Dec. 4 and South and North Gyeongsang, Daegu, Busan and Ulsan on Dec. 5.
  • Education authorities are operating emergency response rooms, providing simplified substitute meals such as bread, milk and yogurt, arranging alternative after-school programs and adjusting schedules at special education schools.
  • Talks since August have deadlocked, with officials offering a 72,000 won monthly base-pay increase and a 50,000 won annual holiday allowance as unions press for broader wage-structure reforms and compensation for unpaid breaks; a similar strike last year halted lunches at 3,910 schools.