[Editorial] Labor Agreement for What and Whom?

The Korean National Railway labor union stopped short of walking off the job recently. Upon hearing this news, we are relieved. When looking into the details of the agreement made between the union and the management, however, we feel nothing but disenchantment. All the privatization efforts created by the Kim administration have been reduced to nothing. Also forgotten are the principles for resolving labor disputes that all South Koreans have worked so hard to establish. In setting up these principles, we have already paid enormous social costs and have gone through considerable hardship to get to where we are now. The Roh administration relegated all authorities to the railway company with reference to dispute arbitration, and the company, in the name of agreement, dumped all its existing principles and regulations. Some critics consider the agreement as a pretense for getting rid of all sensitive issues on both sides.

Previously, Prime Minister Goh Kun promised to punish those who organized and led the illegal strike in a cabinet meeting. Two days later, the railway union and management came up with an agreement, which was a far cry from what was previously announced. The two sides consented to voluntary dismissal of all legal actions against each other, and reinstatement of 45 workers who had been fired for campaigning against illegal labor activities. The government has repeatedly stressed that it would bring to justice those who encourage or organize illegal labor activities. This time however, we don`t see the principle ever having been played out. We see it to have merely collapsed.

The principle has been continuously and constantly threatened ever since the beginning of the Roh administration. We have not seen any stern reactions to illegal and violent labor strikes on the part of the administration. For example, the Ministry of Labor arbitrated a labor dispute concerning Doosan Heavy Equipment in such a way as to seriously stretch the limits of the principle. But that was not the end. It happened again this time; moreover, inconsistent and self-contradictory application of laws and principles will force our society to pay tremendous costs later.

Abandoning the privatization drive, the Korean National Railway company did not, and maybe could not, incorporate even a word about the future of the company into the agreement. Now, the company`s management and labor union will continue to receive paychecks forever, thereby avoiding the harsh reality of restructuring. All South Korean citizens though have to pay the costs caused by lost competitiveness and profitability.

Everyone knows the agreement is wrong and off the mark. But, not a soul in the Roh administration can be heard. Nevertheless, we are still watching and waiting as to how severely this "agreement" will affect the South Korean economy as a whole.