[Opinion] Moderate Unions

Eye-catching banners have recently appeared in the city of Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, saying, “We will renew ourselves to be loved by citizens.” They were hung by the union in Kolon Industries’ Gumi factory, notorious for its militant strikes. Members of the union replaced their leadership, which had dragged strikes on for over two months, by a 91 percent majority vote, promising a healthy labor-management relationship. The union also pledged stable labor relations in order not to cause inconvenience to 90 related businesses.

Until the mid 1990s, Ulsan-based Hyundai Heavy Industries union was at the center of labor movement reminiscent of signature red vests, balaclavas, and pipes. However, the very organization has changed, and that “betrayal” in the labor sector resulted in its elimination from Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) registry in September 2004. The KCTU charged the union as “anti-labor” for tepidly handling a case in which a protesting temporary worker at a Hyundai subcontractor burned himself to death. Some KCTU members stormed the firm and threw stones at the unionized workers. Despite such responses from labor, the heavy industries company successfully pulled through wage negotiations and collective bargaining with no internal conflict.

The union has reportedly received numerous phone calls and letters of encouragement and gratitude since this paper ran an interview on August 5 with union leader Kim Seong-ho (49) who has led peaceful negotiations for the last 12 years. In her letter, a mother, whose beloved son serves as a riot police officer, expressed her concern about his safety when quelling violent labor strikes. She said, “My heart tumbled when my son was sent to the riot police instead of the army. I heard he took lunches on the road from Pyeongtaek U.S. army base to Seoul, and from Gwanghwamun to Pohang, all the places where a day hardly goes without a demonstration.”

The Pohang construction unions’ prolonged strikes, Ssangyong Motors union’s sit-ins and hospital workers’ general strikes make these days’ sweltering weather even hotter.

Against this backdrop, the transformation of the Kolon Gumi plant union and the HHI win-win approach are more than welcome just like a long-awaited shower. The union at Kolon reduced the number of predecessors from nine to five and the HHI union cut negotiators in half to 11 to boost productivity even a tad. A remarkable change, indeed.

Yook Jeong-soo, Editorial Writer, sooya@donga.com