All-out Confrontation between Labor and Gov`t Expected

The Korean government is attracting interest as it has shifted its labor policies from worker-friendly to hostile, seen in the recent dispatch of police against the subway workers‘ strikes.

Signs of confrontation between labor unions and the government have become clearer as unionists declared war on the government shouting. “The Roh Moo-hyun administration`s labor policies are paradoxical,” was heard on the street and on college campuses all across the nation.

Strikes are expected to assume different aspects this summer and many difficulties are also expected when pushing through labor-related laws, such as the five-day-work-week system, which requires a consensus within the Tripartite Committee.

Will labor policies change?

As for labor policies, the government has established the principle of addressing workers‘ collective activities, such as walkouts through dialogue and compromise under the theme of socially integrating relations between labor and management parties.

Although the government emphasized inevitable punishment against illegal activities, it has so far, not assumed any physical presence in the protests. During the recent strikes by transportation workers, the government only arrested those who committed illegal acts.

Yet, the recent attitude of the government in addressing labor disputes has given rise to expectations that the government will return back to the principle of the law. During the recent strikes by subway workers, the government attempted dialogue only once on June 25 before forcefully disbanding the protestors.

Choi Jong-chan, Minister of Transportation and Construction, in three announcements, emphasized the illegality of the subway workers‘ walkout and warned of harsh punishment to come. Labor Minister Gwon Ki-hong also said that “dialogue and compromise were no longer enough to address the subway workers’ protests.”

“It is legitimate and obligatory for the government to exert public power against illegal activities in order to keep the nation in order”, said Lee Gyu-whang, Secretary General at the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI). “Without a strong response, the nation‘s hard-earned achievement of 10,000 dollar per-capita income will be completely lost in the near distant future.”

Commitment to fight the government

“The current administration gave up its reform drive as it surrendered to the chaebol and conservatives,” said the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). “In confronting those forces, we, along with the railway workers, are firmly committed to fight the government at any cost.”

The KCTU held a rally in front of Kookmin Bank in Yoido, Seoul on June 28, denouncing the government for employing the use of force against protestors, in which workers urged the government to engage in dialogue with railway workers, give up pushing ahead with a reform bill on the railway worker system, fire the Minister of Transportation and Construction, and release union members currently serving time in prison. The rally was followed by a sit-in demonstration by union leadership.

The KCTU decided to shift the focus of the general strikes from wage contracts and collective bargaining rights to the government‘s failed reforms. Subway union workers, who were at the core of recent developments, also decided to go against the government order to return to work and will join the June 30 rallies with other regional factions.

Whether labor circles will be able to launch an effective campaign against the government is yet to be seen.

Hyundai Motors’ union, the expected leader in the summer strikes, saw tepid support for walkouts during a vote on June 24. On June 28, Hyundai Motors workers disapproved of turning the company`s union into an industrial labor union, reflecting a tepid response in the company`s union.

At the same time, it is widely recognized that unionists are no longer interested in political strife, considering it not their concern. This adds doubt to whether they can raise the same voice as they once did in the past.

Stumbling blocks ahead for improving the legal framework

It is highly likely that the labor community will split on several pending issues, such as revising standard labor laws, which was called off at the National Assembly. Other factional issues include the protection of temporary workers, introduction of a corporate pension system, laws on government workers‘ unionization, all of which are agenda at the Tripartite Committee.

This will affect the operation of the Labor-Management Relations Improvement Committee, which was recently set up to improve laws on labor and management, practice, and awareness to the level of those for advanced nations.

Kyung-Joon Chung news91@donga.com