Two Major Trade Unions: "Labor Union Act Amendment Violates ILO Core Conventions... Withdraw Immediately"

The two major labor unions, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), held a press conference on the 21st in front of the National Assembly in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, urging the withdrawal of the labor law amendment bill and the prompt ratification of the ILO (International Labour Organization) core conventions. Photo by Kim Suhwan, intern reporter

[Asia Economy Reporters Donghoon Jeong and Intern Suhwan Kim] The two major labor unions, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), have called for the withdrawal of the labor law amendment bill and the prompt ratification of the ILO (International Labour Organization) core conventions.

On the morning of the 21st, the KCTU and FKTU held a joint press conference in front of the National Assembly main gate in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, stating, "The government's labor law amendment bill falls far short of the international labor standards derived from the ILO core conventions and rather contains provisions that undermine them." They added, "As decided by both unions, we will unite and cooperate to the fullest extent to withdraw the government's labor deterioration bill and resolutely achieve the ratification of the core conventions."

Earlier, on the 15th, the two major unions held a joint forum at the Youth Foundation, urging the passage of a bill in line with the principle of freedom of association declared by the ILO international conventions and the prompt consent to ratification. Subsequently, on the 19th, the KCTU resolved to launch a general strike and all-out struggle to block the labor law amendment, signaling organized resistance.

At the press conference, Kim Jaeha, Emergency Committee Chairman of the KCTU, Kim Dongmyeong, Chairman of the FKTU, and heads of labor unions by occupation delivered speeches.

The FKTU stated, "The government has repeatedly broken its international promise to ratify the ILO core conventions. This government is no different. The FKTU will engage in an all-out struggle until the end of the year to enact proper labor laws."

Condemnations directed at the political sphere also followed. The KCTU criticized, "Only two harmful bills with no value, as described by Kim Jongin, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, and the Democratic Party's amendment bills that directly violate the ratification of the ILO core conventions are being discussed in the political arena."

The government submitted the ratification bill for the ILO core conventions to the National Assembly during this regular session. The submitted ratification bill includes three of the four ILO core conventions: the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention (No. 87), the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention (No. 98), and the Forced Labour Convention (No. 29). The labor law amendment bill proposed by the government to ratify the ILO core conventions focuses on strengthening union rights by allowing dismissed workers, unemployed persons, and firefighters to join unions.

However, the bill partially accepts management's demands by extending the validity period of collective agreements from the current two years to three years, restricting eligibility for delegates and executives to union members of individual workplaces, and including provisions that limit access to workplaces by dismissed workers and restrict strike actions involving workplace occupation.

In response, the labor sector strongly opposes the bill, arguing that it violates the standards of the ILO core conventions. The FKTU pointed out, "(The labor law amendment bill) restricts the qualifications of workplace delegates and executives, extends the validity period of collective agreements, and completely prohibits strike actions involving workplace occupation." They added, "This is a serious regression of the current labor law. If this is the case, why ratify the ILO conventions?"

Additionally, they urged the passage of the ‘Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws,’ which fully apply the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees and include provisions to punish employers such as management and prime contractors for worker fatalities. The KCTU emphasized, "The current labor law amendment bill is a regressive bill that takes labor rights back to the era of the Jeon Du-hwan regime. The Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws are the bills that fully comply with ratification. We will fight to pass the Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws."

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