Rough Road Ahead

Kim Dong-man, chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, presided over an executive meeting in Seoul on January 11.
Kim Dong-man, chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, presided over an executive meeting in Seoul on January 11.

 

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) decided to withdraw from the September 15 Tripartite Compromise on certain conditions on January 11. Specifically, the federation is going to discuss the continuation of its membership in the tripartite committee and its schedule for future labor disputes on January 19 while deserting the compromise. This means that an official declaration of the withdrawal is about to follow unless the government shows a drastic change in stance.

If so, the grand compromise goes back to square one in 118 days and years of discussions for a labor reform goes up in smoke. The conflict between the government and the federation is likely to become even more intense as the government is looking to stick to its plan without any further negotiation with the labor community.

At their meeting held on January 11, the moderates and the extremists of the federation showed a severe clash of opinions. In particular, the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, the Korean Chemical Worker's Union and the Federation of Korean Public Industry Trade Unions urged the compromise to be annulled.

However, the government is going to push ahead with its plan regarding general dismissal and a change in rules of employment as the two constitute administrative guides requiring no law revision. In response, the FKTU is looking to keep fighting the government in tandem with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.

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