SC First Bank’s striking workers to fly to London for protest

The striking labor union at SC First Bank said that it would fly to Britain on Saturday to visit the bank’s headquarters in London as part of its fight against management in Korea.

Speaking at a news conference in Seoul on Friday, the union members said they plan to hold a joint news conference with Britain’s labor organizations and to request a meeting with Standard Chartered PLC CEO Peter Sands.

The plans are parts of the labor union’s strategy to publicize their strike as legitimate, according to union members.

But SC First Bank CEO Richard Hill criticized the labor union’s plan to visit the headquarters, reportedly saying they were trying to make the strike situation an international issue. He said the labor union seems to have no intention of settling the problem through negotiations.

The labor union has been on strike since June 27 to protest management’s plan to introduce a performance-based wage system.

By Cynthia J. Kim (cynthiak@heraldcorp.com)