Two Major Labor Unions File Lawsuit Against Expansion of '52-Hour Workweek Exception' for Special Overtime Work

Kim Myung-hwan, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (right), and Kim Dong-myung, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (left), along with the leadership of the two major trade unions, are shouting slogans at the joint press conference held by the two major trade unions on the morning of the 19th in front of the Administrative Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, regarding the lawsuit to cancel the expansion of special extended work permits. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The two major labor unions, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), filed a lawsuit on the 19th, claiming that the government's measure to expand the reasons for special extended work permits, which allow exceptions to the 52-hour workweek system, is illegal.

The two major unions held a press conference in front of the Seoul Administrative Court on the same day and announced that they would file a lawsuit demanding the cancellation of the revised enforcement regulations that expanded the reasons for special extended work permits.

The government has been enforcing the revised enforcement regulations since the 31st of last month, which include business reasons such as a sudden increase in workload in addition to disaster and accident cases, which were previously the only permitted reasons for special extended work permits. Recently, workplaces experiencing a surge in workload due to COVID-19 quarantine operations have been applying for special extended work permits one after another. The two major unions expressed concern, stating, "Although it is a special situation due to COVID-19, within less than two weeks since enforcement, there have been 69 applications for special extended work permits, and more than half are due to business reasons such as a sudden increase in workload."

The two major unions argued, "The revision of the enforcement regulations ignores the constitutional principle of labor condition regulation by law and restricts fundamental rights solely through enforcement regulations without legal delegation. It is clearly illegal as it damages workers' health rights due to irregular long working hours and must be withdrawn."

They also pointed out, "Employers will prepare applications for special extended work permits by citing all kinds of business reasons. There are plenty of reasons for a sudden increase in workload depending on the industry and sector, and if this continues, the reduction of working hours will become meaningless."

The two major unions submitted the complaint to the court on the same day. They plan to increase the level of their struggle against the government by collecting cases of misuse and abuse of special extended work permits, holding testimony meetings, and organizing joint resolution rallies from late March to early April.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.