Put the labor council back on track

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) has decided to leave the Economic, Social & Labor Council, the presidential body aimed at social dialogue among stakeholders. The FKTU declared to depart from a similar presidential body in July 2016, but returned in October 2017 after the liberal Moon Jae-in administration launched. The umbrella union quit the dialogue entity again after five years and eight months.

The FKTU took the action citing the police’s forceful clampdown on unionized members on strike at a steel mill in South Jeolla. A senior member of the metalworkers’ union under the umbrella union was arrested by police officers while protesting the government’s hard-line stance against unions on top of a crane erected seven meters (33 feet) above the ground. The umbrella union claims that the senior member of the metal union was injured by police clubs in a scuffle. But a video clip of the moment shows the union member threatened police officers with a one-foot-long jungle knife, threw a chair, and wielded a steel pipe.

In the process, police officers also suffered injuries. In advanced countries, using violence against law enforcement authorities is not allowed. Citizens also support their zero tolerance against illegal protests and violent resistance. The FKTU’s secession from the council by criticizing the police’s legitimate use of power doesn’t make sense.

The FKTU has participated in the council to represent the labor sector. Another powerful umbrella union — the more combative Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) — has been absent in the council for 25 years since 1999. If the FKTU leaves the council, the government’s dialogue channel with the labor sector shuts down entirely.

With the departure, it will be more difficult to resolve a number of issues such as revamping of work hours and pay systems, reinforcing transparency of accounting in labor unions, and fixing the minimum wage. Without the participation and cooperation from the unions, such problems cannot be solved.

Given tougher livelihoods of the people from a complicated economic crisis, the FKTU’s decision represents tyranny by the mighty umbrella union. It must return to the council if it really represents workers.

The government must continue to talk with the umbrella union. The general consensus is that the council fell short of playing its due role since the launch of the Yoon administration in May last year. The gridlock also comes from the appointment of a far-right person as the chairman of the council as he did not make effort to help revitalize the council. We urge the government to show strong leadership to break the deadlock before it’s too late.