Employment Minister: "Yellow Envelope Act Only Encourages Illegal Strikes... Please Reconsider Legislation"

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik Photo by Yonhap News

Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor, criticized the National Assembly's resolution on the 24th to directly refer the amendment to the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, known as the 'Yellow Envelope Act,' to the plenary session, saying it "will encourage illegal strikes and strengthen the vested interests of labor unions," and pointed out that "the significant impact and confusion it will bring to the labor field are very clear."

Minister Lee made these remarks during a government briefing at the Government Seoul Office in the afternoon, announcing the government's position following the direct referral decision on the Yellow Envelope Act.

The Yellow Envelope Act strengthens the responsibility of primary contractors for subcontracted workers and limits companies' indiscriminate claims for damages against striking workers.

Minister Lee stated, "The government has clearly opposed the bill during the legislative discussion process by specifically explaining the problems and side effects of the amendment," adding, "Moreover, the majority of the public and experts are concerned that the amendment will encourage illegal strikes and grant immunity for illegal acts, resulting in strengthening the vested interests of certain unions."

He continued, "If the amendment is implemented, its side effects will be much larger and more widespread than we anticipate," and pointed out, "First, the amendment expands the scope of employers with an ambiguous concept of who the employer is,

which will cause severe conflicts in industrial sites and a surge in legal disputes."

Minister Lee emphasized, "Expanding the scope of collective actions as in the amendment will lead to strike absolutism," and said, "Even if a dismissal is judged to be lawful through litigation,

strikes will be held demanding the reinstatement of dismissed workers, and strikes will be initiated to enforce claims even on matters already decided by collective agreements."

He added, "If exceptions to liability for damages are made solely because of being a labor union, as in the amendment, an irrationality will occur that protects perpetrators more than victims, and it violates the constitutional principle of equality by granting privileges to illegal actors," and said, "It will result in further widening the gap with the majority of unorganized workers by strengthening only the vested interests of a minority."

Minister Lee stated, "The amendment will nullify the efforts so far based on labor law and order reforms and the resolution of the dual labor market structure based on autonomy and solidarity," and added, "Therefore, I earnestly request once again to reconsider the legislation with a desperate heart."

On the same day, the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee held a plenary meeting and resolved to directly refer the Yellow Envelope Act to the plenary session. The committee has 16 members, with 9 from the Democratic Party of Korea and Lee Eun-ju of the Justice Party supporting the direct referral motion. The People Power Party has opposed the bill, calling the Yellow Envelope Act a law that encourages illegal strikes.

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