[Editorial] Stop the lopsided legislation now

The so-called “yellow envelope” provision, which can discourage employers from filing damage claims against illicit strikes, is on a path to become a law due to a strong push by the liberal opposition front. The supermajority Democratic Party (DP) and the left-wing splinter Justice Party (JP) railroaded with a revision to the Labor Union Act at a subcommittee of the Environmental and Labor Committee last week despite a strong protest from the People Power Party (PPP), the party of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The bill will be submitted to the Environmental and Labor Committee dominated by opposition parties early this week to be put to a full vote in an ad hoc National Assembly session. Opposition lawmakers are pressing ahead with a controversial bill that can worsen the labor environments at a time when the economy and businesses face hardships.

The bill was put on hold during the Moon Jae-in administration, given apparent conflict with the Constitution and its ramifications on the labor site. But the DP turned eager on the agenda after it became the opposition, raising suspicion of using the bill to muster support from trade unions and workers ahead of the parliamentary elections next year.

The bill criticized by the Korea Enterprises Federation as a law to promote illegal strikes can further excite labor conflicts as it pardons illegal strikes and illegitimate activities by unions The bill mandates employers to present specific damages on their companies from individual workers on strike and force employers to show evidence that the strike is against the law. That clause makes it difficult for business owners to file complaints against illegitimate strikes by their employees.

The bill would offer immunity to militant unions in the country. It also allows subcontractor employees to take protest actions against original contractors. That’s not all. The bill allows union members to strike against their current labor conditions, not against future terms like wages as the current labor law stipulates. Due to the widening of labor bargaining and protest scope, employers would be discouraged to invest or hire in fear of judiciary risks. The harm would eventually go to the young people who are already struggling to find jobs in the tough employment market.

Still, the DP is engrossed with seeing through the bill citing the need to guarantee the right to strike. If the party does not consider the grave consequences from the legislation, it must stop the bill right now.