Umbrella unions vow to take action against irregular worker law revision

The law on irregular workers is emerging as a detonator for what is shaping up to be February’s version of a “legislation war.” The Lee Myung-bak administration and his ruling Grand National Party are moving to introduce legislation that would amend the law to extend the amount of time, from two years to four, that companies can employ irregular workers before having to offer them regular employment contracts. The labor movement is saying it will fight back, declaring that “forcing the legislation through the National Assembly would mean war.”

Jang Seok-chun, chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU, Hanguk Nochong) told GNP members at a policy negotiation meeting at the FKTU’s offices in Seoul’s Yeouido neighborhood on Thursday that the large umbrella union “will absolutely not recognize any forced amendment of the law on irregular workers” and that any attempt to pass the law on the GNP’s part “would be saying you want war with labor.”

“We are utterly unwilling to accept the amendment bill being pursued by the Ministry of Labor,” said Jang. “There will be no yielding.”

Earlier the same day, the FKTU’s “Irregular Worker Solidarity Meeting” called a press conference, at which time it called for the administration to withdraw the bill, calling it an attempt “to push into a quagmire the irregular workers who have quietly gone about their jobs for two years, and in poor conditions, while hoping to become regular employees.” It also announced that the FKTU would fight against the reelection of National Assembly members who vote for the bill.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU, Minju Nochong), the more progressive of the country’s two umbrella unions, is threatening what it is calling “February’s all-out war.” It has scheduled a press conference for Friday to announce plans for a campaign to fight the amendment and demand negotiations with the administration early next month. KCTU officials also say they are going to hold a large-scale rally for irregular workers on Feb. 14 and vote sometime between February and April on whether to hold a general strike.

Even within the GNP there are expressions of concern.

“Organized labor is fighting this so hard because extending the period of employment to four years is too long,” said party floor leader Hong Joon-pyo. “Perhaps we might consider a plan that would have conglomerates hire their irregular workers as regular employees as part of their responsibility to society and give middle-sized companies the incentive of tax relief to make their irregular workers regular ones after two more years.”

GNP Policy Committee Chairman Yim Tae-hee, who initially said the legislation was “urgent,” said after meeting with FKTU that it “is not a bill that should be pushed through, given the major differences in point of view held by the labor community.”

“We need time to persuade labor and form a consensus,” said Yim.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]