All 56 express trains to run as normal; general train service to operate at 75.1% on weekdays
Rush-hour service to be maintained at 100%; safety and guidance staff to be deployed at major stations
Airport Railroad Co. has begun drawing up emergency transport measures to minimize passenger disruption ahead of a warning strike set for Nov. 13.
The company said Friday it would establish an emergency response headquarters and operate a contingency transport system focused on train service stability and passenger safety.
Airport Railroad said it would deploy essential maintenance staff and all available personnel to keep express trains between Incheon International Airport and Seoul running at full capacity, as normal.
General train service during morning and evening rush hours will also be maintained at 100% to reduce inconvenience for commuters and airport travelers.
Under the emergency transport plan, all 56 daily express train runs will operate without change. General train service, however, will be cut from the usual 369 runs to 263, bringing the operating rate down to 71.3%.
Total weekday train runs will fall from 425 to 319, with the overall operating rate expected to reach approximately 75.1%.
To offset the reduction in general train service, the company plans to maximize frequency and capacity during the morning rush from 7 to 9 a.m. and the evening rush from 6 to 8 p.m.
To manage platform congestion and longer wait times caused by fewer trains, the company said it would concentrate guidance and safety personnel at major stations and monitor train operations in real time to strengthen on-site response.
Talks with the union on wages and staffing will continue in parallel.
Airport Railroad said it has already presented specific improvement proposals in response to union demands over staffing shortages, wage levels and expanded promotion opportunities.
On Oct. 23, the company delivered to the union a plan to pursue government consultations on hiring 21 additional staff, along with a proposal to raise wages for lower-grade employees at a higher rate within an overall labor cost increase cap of 4.9%.
The company also proposed a 6.49% base salary increase for grade-6 employees, the introduction of a seniority-based promotion track for grade-6 staff to ease promotion bottlenecks for long-serving employees, and improved night-shift compensation for train operators — all aimed at bettering working conditions for junior staff.
On staffing, two express train operators have been incorporated into the workforce plan, while consultations with relevant agencies are ongoing for the remaining 19 positions — 12 standby operators, three technology-sector staff and four station agents at Incheon Airport's Terminal 2.
The company also said it resolved a shortage of train operators on Oct. 26 through an intern recruitment drive.
Key disputes between the two sides remain unresolved, however. The union continues to demand further improvements, citing shortages of train operators and technology staff, inadequate pay for lower-grade employees and promotion backlogs for long-serving workers.
On seniority-based promotions in particular, the union wants the system extended to grade-5 and grade-4 employees as well as grade-6, while the company has proposed starting with grade-6 staff who have been with the company for at least seven years.
The two sides also differ on operator turnover rates. The union claims the rate stands at around 46%, while the company puts it at 7.1%, based on 121 operator departures recorded from 2016 through September this year.
The company noted, however, that a direct comparison is difficult because the two sides used different time periods and employee pools to calculate their figures.
"We have been working to develop practical alternatives to the union's key demands, including additional hiring and better treatment for lower-grade employees," an Airport Railroad official said. "We will continue to resolve differences through dialogue, but if a strike does materialize, we will deploy all essential and available staff to ensure stable train operations and passenger safety."
Airport Railroad said it will announce any changes to train schedules caused by the strike in advance through its website, social media and in-station announcements.
gilbert@heraldcorp.com
