Minister’s actions cause rift with key labor union
Published: 07 Oct. 2009, 08:16
Enraged by the new labor minister’s determination to push changes in union affairs, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions declared yesterday that instead of cooperating with the government, it would fight it.
“We will withdraw our members from various government committees and launch a campaign against the administration,” Jang Seok-chun, head of the umbrella union, told the JoongAng Ilbo yesterday.
“We will hold a special press conference [tomorrow] and make public our battle plans in detail,” he added
The Lee Myung-bak administration and the FKTU have maintained an amicable relationship as the umbrella union of 725,000 members agreed to cooperate with the government in labor policy-making decisions.
The amity now appears to be broken. Jang did not hide his furor toward the policy of Lee’s new labor minister, Yim Tae-hee.
In a phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, Jang complained that Yim apparently has no intention to resolve issues through dialogue.
“We have put more weight on resolving issues through talks, but what Yim said at the FKTU and the Korea Employers Federation shows that he rejects dialogue,” Jang said.
Yim paid visits to the umbrella union and the Korea Employers Federation on Monday. His remarks on sticky labor issues have immediately drawn criticism from the union.
The government and the labor community have confronted each other over policies beginning next year that would allow multiple labor unions in a single company and prevent companies from paying wages to workers who work full-time at the unions.
While the FKTU wants all multiple unions to have negotiation power, the government has said only a single representative body should be in charge of negotiations. The FKTU also wants the wages of full-time union officials to be decided independently between a labor union and a company, while the government said a labor union must be responsible for the wages of its own officials.
If the government and the labor community fail to compromise, the current laws governing the two issues will automatically take effect. In that case, all labor unions will have negotiation power, while companies will be banned from paying union officials.
Jang made clear that he will pull out all FKTU officials from the Economic and Social Development Commission, formerly known as the Korea Tripartite Commission.
The commission is a vice-minister-level consultation body that includes the vice labor minister, the vice chairman of the Korea Employers Federation and the vice chairman of the umbrella union.
“We will also withdraw our representatives from all government-run committees around the nation,” Jang said, without saying when the action will take place.
As of now, 390 FKTU members participate in 60 government committees, including the 26 in the National Labor Relations Commission.
A similar withdrawal took place in July 2005 in protest of the Roh Moo-hyun administration’s labor policy.
Jang, however, said he will be careful about breaking up the policy alliance with the Grand National Party. He also said a channel of high-level talks remains open.
The FKTU will hold an emergency meeting of its leaders on Oct. 15. In a symbolic gesture of protest, 45 leaders will shave their heads.
A nationwide laborers’ gathering is planned in Seoul for Nov. 11 and the FKTU leadership will begin a demonstration.
More rallies are also scheduled in Seoul and other places around the nation in December.
If the FKTU’s demands on the multiple union and union representatives’ wage issues are not met, a general strike could take place, the FKTU decided.
By Kim Ki-chan, Ser Myo-ja [[email protected]]
“We will withdraw our members from various government committees and launch a campaign against the administration,” Jang Seok-chun, head of the umbrella union, told the JoongAng Ilbo yesterday.
“We will hold a special press conference [tomorrow] and make public our battle plans in detail,” he added
The Lee Myung-bak administration and the FKTU have maintained an amicable relationship as the umbrella union of 725,000 members agreed to cooperate with the government in labor policy-making decisions.
The amity now appears to be broken. Jang did not hide his furor toward the policy of Lee’s new labor minister, Yim Tae-hee.
In a phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, Jang complained that Yim apparently has no intention to resolve issues through dialogue.
“We have put more weight on resolving issues through talks, but what Yim said at the FKTU and the Korea Employers Federation shows that he rejects dialogue,” Jang said.
Yim paid visits to the umbrella union and the Korea Employers Federation on Monday. His remarks on sticky labor issues have immediately drawn criticism from the union.
The government and the labor community have confronted each other over policies beginning next year that would allow multiple labor unions in a single company and prevent companies from paying wages to workers who work full-time at the unions.
While the FKTU wants all multiple unions to have negotiation power, the government has said only a single representative body should be in charge of negotiations. The FKTU also wants the wages of full-time union officials to be decided independently between a labor union and a company, while the government said a labor union must be responsible for the wages of its own officials.
If the government and the labor community fail to compromise, the current laws governing the two issues will automatically take effect. In that case, all labor unions will have negotiation power, while companies will be banned from paying union officials.
Jang made clear that he will pull out all FKTU officials from the Economic and Social Development Commission, formerly known as the Korea Tripartite Commission.
The commission is a vice-minister-level consultation body that includes the vice labor minister, the vice chairman of the Korea Employers Federation and the vice chairman of the umbrella union.
“We will also withdraw our representatives from all government-run committees around the nation,” Jang said, without saying when the action will take place.
As of now, 390 FKTU members participate in 60 government committees, including the 26 in the National Labor Relations Commission.
A similar withdrawal took place in July 2005 in protest of the Roh Moo-hyun administration’s labor policy.
Jang, however, said he will be careful about breaking up the policy alliance with the Grand National Party. He also said a channel of high-level talks remains open.
The FKTU will hold an emergency meeting of its leaders on Oct. 15. In a symbolic gesture of protest, 45 leaders will shave their heads.
A nationwide laborers’ gathering is planned in Seoul for Nov. 11 and the FKTU leadership will begin a demonstration.
More rallies are also scheduled in Seoul and other places around the nation in December.
If the FKTU’s demands on the multiple union and union representatives’ wage issues are not met, a general strike could take place, the FKTU decided.
By Kim Ki-chan, Ser Myo-ja [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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