|
June 12, 2008
|
||||
The nation faced freight transport paralysis yesterday as more than a third of unionized truckers stopped their engines. Some 4,000 truckers nationwide refused to work, slowing down cargo shipping at major ports and industrial complexes, the Transportation Ministry said yesterday. Among the 9,716 trucks operating in and out of major ports, 1,111 vehicles at Pyeongtaek, Dangjin and Gunsan had stopped service. Thousands of trucks at other major companies including Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plants and Samsung Electronics’ Gwangju factory also refused to transport cargo. Dissatisfied with the government’s recent measures to offset skyrocketing fuel prices, the truckers demanded that diesel taxes be reduced, in addition to more substantial subsidies. The truckers also demanded that shippers hike payments for their service. While the government is reluctant to lower fuel taxes, negotiations with shippers over the shipping charge were ongoing yesterday. The shippers, however, said the truckers’ demand of up to an 80 percent hike is too high. Industries recall too well 2003, when a two-week truckers’ strike cost them at least $540 million. Hansol Paper’s Janghang factory in North Jeolla said the loading and unloading of its export products had been stopped for two days due to the strike. The plant is losing 2 billion won ($1.9 million) a day. “Domestic buyers understand the situation, but overseas buyers said they will no longer purchase our products if we fail to meet deadlines,” said Kim Eun-seok, the chief manager of the factory. At Daesan Industry Complex in Seosan, South Chungcheong, petrochemical companies are alarmed about the strike. Samsung Total, LG Chemical and Lotte Daesan Petrochemical said about 60 billion won worth of export goods failed to leave on time. At a road near Pyeongtaek Port yesterday afternoon, about 100 trucks were parked in rows on both sides of the road. At the main gate of the port, about 10 members of the truckers’ union stopped trucks from entering. “Because fuel is so expensive, we lose more money the more we drive,” Shin Song-gyu, a 38-year-old trucker, said yesterday as he stood outside Pyeongtaek Port. Shin detailed his shipping trip to Gwangju last week as an example. He said he received 450,000 won for moving a container to the southern city, but paid 400,000 won for fuel and 40,000 won for toll fees, leaving him with 10,000 won. “I pay 2 million won a month for my auto installment, and I am about to lose my truck because I have no money,” he said. By Ser Myo-ja Staff Reporter/ Kim Ki-chan JoongAng Ilbo [myoja@joongang.co.kr] |
|
