Lee Jae-myung: "Unfair Dismissal by China Eastern Airlines is a Matter of National Pride"... Plans to Request Remedy

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has decided to urge the government to intervene and protect the rights of Korean flight attendants who were collectively unfairly dismissed by China Eastern Airlines.

Earlier, on the 20th of last month, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung promised at a meeting with dismissed China Eastern Airlines flight attendants held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office, saying, "This incident concerns the pride of the Republic of Korea," and "Gyeonggi Province will take the lead and find all possible measures at the local government level."

As a follow-up to Governor Lee's promise, on the 3rd, the province plans to visit the Ministry of Employment and Labor to request that the issue be filed as a complaint with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and that a special labor inspection of China Eastern Airlines be promptly conducted.

Under current ILO conventions, only the central government and nationwide labor organizations have the authority to file such complaints. Special labor inspections are also only possible through the Ministry of Employment and Labor under the Labor Standards Act.

Separately, the province will prepare office space in the Seoul area where the dismissed flight attendants can hold meetings, reflecting their accessibility and intentions.

Additionally, through collaboration with relevant provincial departments, the province plans to support professional personnel needed for interpretation and translation related to ongoing legal proceedings by the flight attendants' countermeasure committee, as well as for corporate financial analysis.

Previously, it was confirmed that among the 73 dismissed flight attendants, 19 are residents of Gyeonggi Province, prompting the province to explore various solutions to protect their rights.

On the 12th of last month, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the province requested fact-finding investigations from the Korean Embassy in China and the Korean Consulate General in Shanghai. On the 16th, a letter in the governor's name was sent to China Eastern Airlines urging clarification of discrimination allegations against Korean flight attendants and reinstatement following unfair dismissal.

Choi Gwi-nam, head of the Labor Rights Division of the province, stated, "Gyeonggi Province is always ready to step up to protect the labor rights of its residents," adding, "We will actively assist in protecting rights by mobilizing various response measures, including central government agencies, diplomatic channels, and support for civil litigation."

The dismissed China Eastern Airlines flight attendants had been employed on fixed-term contracts since March 2018 and worked for two years. However, amid the recent COVID-19 outbreak and the reduction of Korea-China routes, leading to business deterioration, they were notified on the 11th of last month that their contracts would not be renewed just before their transition to permanent employment.

They have formed the "China Eastern Airlines 14th Countermeasure Committee" as part of their legal response to the collective dismissal without prior consent, citing decreased travelers and business deterioration as reasons.

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