“No” to Public Servants’ Strike Rights

On July 30, Minister of Labor Kim Dae-hwan announced the public servants’ right to strike, saying, “We will not yield an inch to them.”

He mentioned the government’s position, stating, “It seems like the issue of the creation of a public servants’ union will surface after the summer holidays end,” while giving a speech on the “Government’s Labor Policy to Establish Reciprocal Labor and Management Relations” at the 18th Jeju Forum held on this day at the Shilla Hotel.

“The government has been criticized over the delay in legalizing the public servants’ union by the International Labor Organization; however, we are planning to legislate the bill to give permission to them to create a union in the latter half of this year,” he added. He also emphasized, “The government’s stance on the public servants’ strike against the nation is disapproving considering its legal position as a public servant, although the right to create a union is legalized.”

Minister Kim said, “The National Public Servants’ Union and other unions want to wage an all-out war against the government on the issue; however, the government will never yield an inch to them. This will cause some tensions, but the government will tolerate their union creation on the level of public consensus.”

Won-Jae Lee wjlee@donga.com