hankyoreh

chairperson of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

Ever since the tripartite agreement on the multiple union system and the ban on wages to full-time unionists was reached between the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), Ministry of Labor and Korea Employers Federation (KEF), attention has been focused on the actions of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). Some experts say this recent “labor-management-government” agreement combined with a Lee administration hardline response to the Korean Railway Workers’ Union (KRWU) and Korean Government Employees’ Union (KGEU), and the gearing up by the Grand National Party (GNP) to unilaterally push labor law revisions through the National Assembly has the umbrella union cornered.

In an interview with the Hankyoreh at KCTU headquarters in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo neighborhood on Sunday, KCTU Chairman Lim Seong-kyu described how the Lee administration is pushing for a “world without unions,” and characterized its labor policy as entirely shallow. Chairman Lim also spoke on the Lee administration’s response to public sector unions, including the designation of the KRWU strike as illegal, and described the connections between the Lee government’s rejection of the documents establishing the founding of the KGEU and the three-way agreement.

Hankyoreh: What can you tell us about the tripartite talks that excluded the KCTU and resulted in a draft agreement between the FKTU, the Ministry of Labor and KEF?

Lim: “Last month, after the last six-party (labor-management-government) talks ruptured, I proposed a three-year delay to the two issues. I suggested we meet regularly twice per month and aim to come up with an amended agreement next year. Representatives for corporate interests were also in agreement. Instead of meeting these two proposals, this new agreement stands as a diminished version of what the six parties discussed. It appears that the Ministry of Labor, KEF and FKTU never had any intentions to come to an agreement through the six-party talks. It was not that we were unaware of what was going on, we kept participating in the six-party talks because our thinking was that if we did not, it would give them [the Labor Ministry, KEF, and FKTU] a chance to conspire.”

Hankyoreh:Is your agreement to cooperate with FKTU officially over?

Lim: “Yes, it is. FKTU had not disclosed to us, their partner, any information about changes in the umbrella union’s existing position prior to FKTU Chairman Chang Seok-chun’s press conference on Nov. 30. It appears its leadership also tricked FKTU’s members on the ground. Since FKTU had previously voted to hold a general strike and burned its bridge with the current administration, we had thought they would continue to cooperate with us through the middle of this month, even if they were conspiring, however, they changed their direction quite suddenly. It seems the FKTU leadership intends to follow orders from the Lee administration.”

Hankyoreh: The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) plans to push through revisions to the labor law, and even in the event that the changes do not pass due to resistance from the opposition parties, the current law will automatically go into effect next year. What are KTCU’s plans in response to these revisions?

Lim: “Our first goal is to block the passage of the revision bill by working in cooperation with lawmakers from the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party (DP). In addition to informal talks that we will be having this week, our key efforts will be focused on the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee, where it appears Committee Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae, a Democratic Party lawmaker, will legislate according to her convictions. Of course, since it has not been long since major branches of KCTU such as Hyundai Motor and Kia branches conducted their elections and have found themselves in the middle of wage talks, one cannot vouch for the level of this month’s struggle. However, if we are able to quickly reach a resolution, even a general strike will remain a possibility after the middle of the month.

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