Non-regular school workers to go on strike

[Anchor]

School non-regular workers responsible for cafeterias and care classrooms will go on strike for one day tomorrow (12.6), demanding wage increases and improvements in working conditions.

Some schools are expected to face disruptions in operations, with bread being provided instead of meals.

Kim Ha-eun reports.

[Report]

Non-regular workers at schools who will participate in a full strike tomorrow mostly work in school cafeterias or care classrooms.

They are demanding a real wage increase, discussions on improving the wage system, improvements in high-intensity labor in cafeterias, and solutions for the livelihoods of non-working staff during vacations.

Since July, they have held four rounds of negotiations with the education authorities but have ultimately failed to reach an agreement.

[Lee Jae-jin/National School Non-Regular Workers Union Safety Director/Dec. 2: "Poor working conditions, high-intensity labor, and now there are vacancies, and new hires are also insufficient...."]

The number of participants in the strike is estimated to be around 60,000 out of 170,000 non-regular school workers nationwide.

Due to the strike, some schools are expected to face disruptions in meals and care services.

Some schools have already informed parents through notices that they will provide alternative meals such as bread and milk tomorrow.

[Parent/Seoul Dongjak-gu/Voice altered: "I don't think it's very good to go with alternative meals instead of rice, but it's an unavoidable situation... It's just for one day, so whatever."]

The education authorities stated that they would adjust the meal menus or provide alternative meals for the cafeteria, and that the extended school program would operate normally by offering different programs.

This is KBS News, Kim Ha-eun.