Single bargaining channel for unions
Published: 23 Nov. 2009, 22:17
The Labor Ministry on Friday unveiled a plan in a meeting with labor unions and management at local enterprises to force labor unions within a single enterprise to have a negotiation channel with the management after the country begins allowing multiple labor unions next year.
Also, unionized workers will have to get the support of its entire union membership for any proposed industrial action, according to the ministry.
The unification of the negotiation channel will come about in three steps. First, different labor unions within a company must agree upon a single negotiation channel seven to 20 days before they launch a negotiation. Second, if they fail to do so within the deadline, the union that has the largest membership will automatically be given the right to bargain. Third, should there be no union with a majority of members, the unions must form a collective negotiation delegation that will comprise members from different unions. In some cases, they could adopt a proportional representation system.
After a delay of 13 years due to protests from labor groups, the state regulation of multiple unions at the same enterprise will come into action next year.
Some manufacturers tend to have different labor unions for respective factories in different regions or for different employee job responsibilities.
The labor ministry has promoted a plan to prevent multiple labor unions from wielding excessive power in negotiations and to protect minority labor unions.
If labor groups and enterprises don’t agree with the new government plan, the ministry said it will prepare legislation to make it happen.
The country’s labor community has long insisted that all unions have the right to negotiate freely. The nation’s two biggest umbrella unions - the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the more radical Korean Confederation of Trade Unions - said they will advance the date for a general strike for all labor unions originally scheduled for mid next month unless the government accepts their stance.
“We have no specific alternatives to the issues pertaining to multiple labor unions,” said Lee Su-bong, a spokesman with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.
Corporate managers who attended the meeting said the government’s proposal may hinder negotiations since it will cause conflict among labor unions. The Korea Employers Federation, a business lobby, said the union with the largest number of members should have negotiation rights.
Separately, the ministry said for a single union within a company to launch a strike, members of the all labor unions must vote to approve starting next year.
By Kim Ki-chan [[email protected]]
Also, unionized workers will have to get the support of its entire union membership for any proposed industrial action, according to the ministry.
The unification of the negotiation channel will come about in three steps. First, different labor unions within a company must agree upon a single negotiation channel seven to 20 days before they launch a negotiation. Second, if they fail to do so within the deadline, the union that has the largest membership will automatically be given the right to bargain. Third, should there be no union with a majority of members, the unions must form a collective negotiation delegation that will comprise members from different unions. In some cases, they could adopt a proportional representation system.
After a delay of 13 years due to protests from labor groups, the state regulation of multiple unions at the same enterprise will come into action next year.
Some manufacturers tend to have different labor unions for respective factories in different regions or for different employee job responsibilities.
The labor ministry has promoted a plan to prevent multiple labor unions from wielding excessive power in negotiations and to protect minority labor unions.
If labor groups and enterprises don’t agree with the new government plan, the ministry said it will prepare legislation to make it happen.
The country’s labor community has long insisted that all unions have the right to negotiate freely. The nation’s two biggest umbrella unions - the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the more radical Korean Confederation of Trade Unions - said they will advance the date for a general strike for all labor unions originally scheduled for mid next month unless the government accepts their stance.
“We have no specific alternatives to the issues pertaining to multiple labor unions,” said Lee Su-bong, a spokesman with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.
Corporate managers who attended the meeting said the government’s proposal may hinder negotiations since it will cause conflict among labor unions. The Korea Employers Federation, a business lobby, said the union with the largest number of members should have negotiation rights.
Separately, the ministry said for a single union within a company to launch a strike, members of the all labor unions must vote to approve starting next year.
By Kim Ki-chan [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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