The Korean Railway Workers' Union is prepared to strike next week unless the government honors its initial agreement on bonus payments.

During a news conference at Seoul Station on Friday, the union said its strike will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday if the government fails to honor its promises.

The Korea Railroad Corporation and its union reached a tentative eleventh-hour agreement on December 11. 

The union said it had signed off on the condition that management raise its base for bonus calculation from 80 percent to 100 percent of base pay, in line with other public entities, but that the finance ministry is now considering 90 percent instead.

The union said railway workers have been suffering for 15 years and that its demand is not more pay, but rather the same standard as other state employees.