Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) could face a strike by its workers after a vote last Friday, the local media reported.

The shipyard workers have proposed a strike to demand higher wages and to oppose the company’s restructuring plans in particular the job layoffs, Yonhap reported.

The approval for the proposed strike, however, does not mean an immediate walkout by the works, the labour union pointed out.

Since May this year, the HHI management and the labour union have held several rounds of negotiations but they have failed to narrow their differences.

The South Korean shipyard is struggling with debts and has implemented self-rescue restructuring measures including massive job cuts.

Last month, the labour union has opposed HHI’s plan to spin-off a business unit as part of its restructuring plan, as the move would lead to a loss of close to 1,000 jobs.

Compatriot shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) saw its workers launched a partial strike last week, while workers at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) also voted to launch a strike at a yet to be specify date.