A worker’s strike at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has seen operations at a giant dock crane come to a halt for much of this week. Two workers from DSME’s Metal Union gained access to a 40 m high crane early on Tuesday and have not moved since, as part of a protest demanding a pay increase at a time where the struggling yard has been attempting to slash salaries.
Such high altitude strikes are not uncommon at Korean yards. One around a decade ago paralysed operations at a rival’s drydock for more than three months.
Strikes at the state bailed out DSME are also very commonplace. This time last year there was a significant worker walkout at the yard.
Despite the worker unrest the final weeks of the year have been kind to DSME with a huge swathe of LNG orders bringing the Korean yard close to hitting its ambitious 2018 sales goal.