Labor's Reach: Asia-Pacific

Workers across three continents initiated or threatened strike action over pay and working conditions in May 2024. In Bihar, India, hundreds of workers at a food processing plant walked out after the company failed to pay promised festival bonuses and did not provide adequate safety protocols, protective gear, clean drinking water, or sufficient toilet facilities. Workers had been requesting the bonus and better conditions for a prolonged period without resolution. In Seoul, South Korea, bus drivers threatened to strike over wage increases, seeking an annual 4.48 percent raise. Negotiations with the Seoul city government and bus companies are ongoing, but failure to reach an agreement would paralyze public transportation in the capital. Drivers have previously struck over similar issues. In Australia, Allied Pinnacle bakery workers in New South Wales commenced a 24-hour strike demanding a 12 percent pay rise over two years to keep pace with the rising cost of living. The workers, members of the United Workers Union, had previously rejected the company's initial offer, deeming it inadequate. They are also seeking improvements to job security. find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/05/16/ldln-m16.html