DP SHIFT PROMPTS END OF TRUCKERS STRIKE

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The Cargo truckers solidarity's decision to hold a vote to decide whether they'll end their strike came in just a day. The main opposition Democratic Party's announcement saying that they'll accept the government and ruling People Power Party's proposal to extend the minimum freight rate policy became the determining factor of their latest decision.

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There were no signs for change in the truckers' strike as recently as yesterday morning at the press briefing. The Cargo Truckers' Solidarity had stood by its original demand the regular implementation of the safe freight rate system and the expansion of items covered under the very system. But the situation changed drastically when the Democratic Party announced during the briefing that it would accept the government's plan to extend the safe freight rate system for three more years. After a brief discussion, Cargo Truckers' Solidarity decided to put to a vote whether to call off the strike. An official at the Korean Public Service and Transport Unions to which the Cargo Truckers' Solidarity belongs said that the DP's change in its stance was the key reason why they shifted to accepting the government plan. The Solidarity had been expecting the majority DP to lead the discussion of the bill at the National Assembly's Transport Committee, where the safe freight rate system is debated. But once the DP announced without advance notice that it would accept the government proposal, the striking truckers must have thought there would be no room for a breakthrough. The government's hard-line responses also seemed to have worked. The first-ever return-to-work order prompted some striking members as well as non-members to return to work and the transport of goods quickly rebounded to weaken the momentum for strikers. With the safe freight rate system to expire in roughly 20 days, the striking truckers appear to have decided to at least extend the existing system for three years. Since striking truckers voted to call off the strike today, truckers are likely to return to work as early as this weekend. Also, the return-to-work order expanded to the steel and petrochemical industries is planned to be suspended.