Environment and Labor Committee Passes 'ILO 3 Laws'... People Power Party Ultimately Absent

Allowing Dismissed Workers to Join Unions... 'Ban on Industrial Action at Production Facilities' Excluded

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee held a plenary session in the early morning of the 9th and forwarded the so-called ILO 3 Laws?amendments to the Labor Union Act, Public Officials Union Act, and Teachers Union Act?for ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions to the plenary session.

Following the agenda adjustment committee the previous day, the Environment and Labor Committee held a plenary session and passed the 'Special Employment 3 Laws' (amendments to the Employment Insurance Act, Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, and Collection Act), which primarily apply employment and industrial accident insurance to special employment workers (teukgo).

Members of the People Power Party boycotted the agenda adjustment committee and plenary session, shouting "ruling party's unilateral domination" in protest against the passage of the High-ranking Officials Crime Investigation Office (Hugo) Act. The Democratic Party of Korea tried to persuade the opposition at the last minute ahead of the ILO 3 Laws review but failed. The ruling party eventually started a solo bill subcommittee around 8 p.m.

After marathon deliberations extending beyond scheduled sessions, the Environment and Labor Committee completed the bill review around 12:30 a.m. With Justice Party lawmaker Kang Eun-mi in attendance, the committee swiftly convened a plenary session around 1:30 a.m. and finalized the ILO 3 Laws around 2:40 a.m.

The most significant issue in the ILO 3 Laws was the amendment to the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act allowing dismissed and unemployed persons to join unions. The Environment and Labor Committee passed a committee alternative that integrated and adjusted the government and lawmakers' proposals, stipulating that for enterprise unions, executives and delegates must be elected from among union members engaged in the business. Provisions that labor groups strongly opposed in Buan?such as restricting non-worker union members' access to workplaces and banning strikes at key production facilities?were excluded during the review process. The validity period of collective agreements, currently two years under existing law, was accepted as per the government proposal but with a caveat of 'up to three years' to minimize misunderstandings from labor groups.

The amendment to the Labor Standards Act followed the government proposal. Accordingly, the upper limit of the flexible working hours system's unit period will be extended from the current three months to six months.

Justice Party lawmaker Kang Eun-mi attended the plenary session that day and demanded a recess, arguing that in-depth discussions on the Labor Union Act were necessary, but her request was denied. Lawmaker Kang said, "The ILO 3 Laws are so important to workers, so why is the Democratic Party trying to rush the bill through at dawn like a theft?"

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