[THE INVESTOR] Labor strife in the shipbuilding industry appears to be losing steam as workers’ participation in the pan-industry strike is far lower than expected, industry sources said July 21.

According to the sources, the coalition of unionized workers from eight shipbuilders, including Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, threatened last week to hold a joint strike on July 20 where it said some 30,000 workers would appear.

But only about 10 percent of the estimated number actually joined the partial strike, indicating that the drive is losing momentum.

Hyundai Heavy’s unionized workers launched a partial strike in Ulsan, a southeastern coastal city, on July 19-20, and employees from Samsung Heavy Industries also participated in the joint rally on July 20.

But employees from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, one of the country’s big three shipyards, did not join.

Industry watchers said the sector’s labor strife may further lose ground down the road as the shipyards’ workers are scheduled to go on summer leave staring next week.

“Employees are scheduled to take two-week leave starting next week,” said a labor union official at Daewoo Shipbuilding. “And we are planning not to join the strike.”

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