Cafeteria, after-school workers to strike starting Thursday
Published: 19 Nov. 2025, 19:05
![Elementary school students walk toward their school in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 27. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/19/e32c7f1e-d352-4474-ba68-0e6f7f2a92db.jpg)
Elementary school students walk toward their school in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 27. [NEWS1]
With school cafeteria and after-school care workers set to launch a strike starting Thursday, the Education Ministry and 17 provincial and metropolitan education offices are preparing response measures, including alternative meal services and after-school care arrangements.
The coalition of irregular workers at schools across the country has been in wage negotiations with the Education Ministry and local education offices since August, aiming to finalize a collective agreement for 2025. However, the two sides have failed to narrow their differences.
The coalition has announced plans to strike on Thursday and Friday, and again on Dec. 4 and 5. Strikes will take place on Thursday in Seoul, Incheon, Gangwon, Sejong and North Chungcheong. On Thursday, workers in Gwangju, South Jeolla, North Jeolla and Jeju will take over. On Dec. 4, the strike will take place in Gyeonggi, Daejeon and South Chungcheong, and on Dec. 5, in South Gyeongsang, North Gyeongsang, Daegu, Busan and Ulsan.
The coalition represents about 94,000 education support staff nationwide, including members of the public education workers’ division and irregular school workers' division under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Korean Women’s Trade Union.
On Nov. 13, the coalition and education authorities held a six-hour bargaining session. The coalition demanded reforms to the wage system for school support staff, increased base pay and holiday bonuses, and the elimination of unpaid vacation periods and welfare disparities during school breaks.
The education authorities offered to raise base pay by 72,000 won ($49) per month and increase holiday allowances by 50,000 won annually, while rejecting most of the other demands.
In preparation for the strike, the Education Ministry and local education offices have set up emergency response centers to address urgent developments. For school meals, schools will be allowed to flexibly adjust menus or provide substitute meals. For after-school care, authorities will support alternative programs to ensure that services continue as scheduled. Special education schools will implement tailored measures, such as shortened class schedules.
“We respect the union’s right to collective action, but we hope both labor and management will quickly reach a reasonable agreement through dialogue, to ensure students’ education and health are protected and that parents are not inconvenienced,” said Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM MIN-SANG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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