Public workers vote to join umbrella labor union
Korea’s three public workers’ unions agreed late Tuesday to consolidate into one group and join the umbrella labor union the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.
Yesterday, a displeased government responded, saying the decision was an “improper action,” and that public servants would be subject to legal punishment if they engage in any political protests together with the KCTU.
The union of public workers will become the third largest in the KCTU, with 109,433 members following. The larger groups are the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, with 147,000 members, and the Korean Public and Social Service Workers’ Union, with 142,000 members.
According to the three public workers’ unions, 75 percent of their members - or some 83,000 out of 109,400 - voted as of 8:50 p.m. Tuesday. The vote was spread over two days.
Of that total, “89.6 percent of voters supported the merger and 68.3 percent of them cast votes to join the umbrella union,” the three unions said in a press release.
The merger required two-thirds of its members to vote in favor of the merger. Joining the KCTU required a vote of half the membership.
The vote made the KCTU the country’s largest umbrella union, with 725,499 members, surpassing the 725,014 members in the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, another umbrella union.
The vote should give the KCTU more leverage with the government. Government committees usually invite union participation, giving slightly more representation to the largest.
For example, the Minimum Wage Council Republic of Korea currently has five FKTU members and four from the KCTU.
The Korean government yesterday was clearly not happy with the vote. A televised statement issued by the justice, public administration and labor ministers expressed deep concern over the workers’ decision to join the KCTU, an organization which has long been a participant in political protests.
“Under the constitution, public servants are obliged to maintain political neutrality and their decision to join an umbrella union is inappropriate,” said Public Administration Minister Lee Dal-gon. “It is very easy for a public workers’ union to violate that law. The government will thoroughly investigate whether there were any illegalities during the public workers’ voting.”
The three unions and the KCTU vehemently decried the government announcement, accusing it of “cracking down on labor unions.”
Jeong Yong-cheon, spokesman for Korean Government Employees’ Union, said the three unions made a legitimate decision and the government’s tough public statements constitute “oppression of labor unions.”
“We will discuss a response to the government’s announcement,” Jeong said.
“The government announcement is not helping public servants’ willingness to reform the public servant sector,” said Lee Su-bong, a spokesman for the KCTU.
Meanwhile, a Korean Government Employees’ Union chapter leader in Busan’s Yeonje District stepped down in protest over the vote.
The chapter leader, Park Hong-jo, posted a message on the chapter’s official Web site yesterday saying that he could not join the KCTU.
“I was appointed as the chapter leader on July 1 to represent your positions and to share your pain,” Park said. “I know I would have to follow your decision to join the KCTU but I cannot because I’m against it. I feel it is time to leave the post.”
Civic groups expressed mixed opinions about the vote. People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, a liberal civic group, said the government should not interfere with public workers’ desire to have the KCTU as its partner in mapping out labor policies.
The Freedom Advance Association, a conservative civic group, criticized the unions’ decision.
“Public servants serve people,” the statement said. “By joining the KCTU, public workers ignore the public and violate political neutrality.”
By Kim Mi-ju, Kim Sang-woo [mijukim@joongang.co.kr]Goto page # >> 1
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Yesterday, a displeased government responded, saying the decision was an “improper action,” and that public servants would be subject to legal punishment if they engage in any political protests together with the KCTU.
The union of public workers will become the third largest in the KCTU, with 109,433 members following. The larger groups are the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, with 147,000 members, and the Korean Public and Social Service Workers’ Union, with 142,000 members.
According to the three public workers’ unions, 75 percent of their members - or some 83,000 out of 109,400 - voted as of 8:50 p.m. Tuesday. The vote was spread over two days.
Of that total, “89.6 percent of voters supported the merger and 68.3 percent of them cast votes to join the umbrella union,” the three unions said in a press release.
The merger required two-thirds of its members to vote in favor of the merger. Joining the KCTU required a vote of half the membership.
The vote made the KCTU the country’s largest umbrella union, with 725,499 members, surpassing the 725,014 members in the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, another umbrella union.
The vote should give the KCTU more leverage with the government. Government committees usually invite union participation, giving slightly more representation to the largest.
For example, the Minimum Wage Council Republic of Korea currently has five FKTU members and four from the KCTU.
The Korean government yesterday was clearly not happy with the vote. A televised statement issued by the justice, public administration and labor ministers expressed deep concern over the workers’ decision to join the KCTU, an organization which has long been a participant in political protests.
“Under the constitution, public servants are obliged to maintain political neutrality and their decision to join an umbrella union is inappropriate,” said Public Administration Minister Lee Dal-gon. “It is very easy for a public workers’ union to violate that law. The government will thoroughly investigate whether there were any illegalities during the public workers’ voting.”
The three unions and the KCTU vehemently decried the government announcement, accusing it of “cracking down on labor unions.”
Jeong Yong-cheon, spokesman for Korean Government Employees’ Union, said the three unions made a legitimate decision and the government’s tough public statements constitute “oppression of labor unions.”
“We will discuss a response to the government’s announcement,” Jeong said.
“The government announcement is not helping public servants’ willingness to reform the public servant sector,” said Lee Su-bong, a spokesman for the KCTU.
Meanwhile, a Korean Government Employees’ Union chapter leader in Busan’s Yeonje District stepped down in protest over the vote.
The chapter leader, Park Hong-jo, posted a message on the chapter’s official Web site yesterday saying that he could not join the KCTU.
“I was appointed as the chapter leader on July 1 to represent your positions and to share your pain,” Park said. “I know I would have to follow your decision to join the KCTU but I cannot because I’m against it. I feel it is time to leave the post.”
Civic groups expressed mixed opinions about the vote. People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, a liberal civic group, said the government should not interfere with public workers’ desire to have the KCTU as its partner in mapping out labor policies.
The Freedom Advance Association, a conservative civic group, criticized the unions’ decision.
“Public servants serve people,” the statement said. “By joining the KCTU, public workers ignore the public and violate political neutrality.”
By Kim Mi-ju, Kim Sang-woo [mijukim@joongang.co.kr]
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