Migrant workers' union recognized

Udaya Rai, second from left, head of the Migrants’ Trade Union, and other union members cheer in front of the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office building in central Seoul, as the government gives the go-ahead for the legal establishment of the union, Thursday. / Yonhap

By Kim Se-jeong

The nation’s first union for foreign workers has vowed to improve working conditions for hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in Korea, following the government’s recognition of it as a legitimate organization.

The Seoul Regional Office of Employment and Labor issued a license to the Migrants’ Trade Union (MTU), Thursday, following a Supreme Court ruling recognizing its legitimacy.

It took 10 years for the group to be recognized in Korea -- and two months after the Supreme Court decision.

After acquiring the official registration from the regional labor office, leaders of the union showed their excitement.

“Across the country, the working conditions for migrant workers are bad, damaged by delayed payments of wages as well as verbal and physical abuse,” a union member said. “Often, they are described as slaves. We’ll work to end this and to improve their working conditions.”

The MTU’s journey to the license has been tough.

When it applied for a registration in June 2005, the Ministry of Labor rejected it, saying it could not grant rights to those who were working illegally because the union wanted to include such workers as its members.

The union sued the ministry. A local court ruled in favor of the ministry, but the appeals court ruled in favor of the union. The Supreme Court finally upheld the high court ruling in June.

But the top court’s decision did not clear the way entirely. The Seoul regional labor office refused to register the union, saying some rules of the union could be used for political purposes.

After two rejections, the union modified its rules, which the office finally accepted.

According to statistics, more than 270,000 migrant workers are in Korea. When undocumented workers are included, the number is higher. They are mostly from the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and other Asian countries.

Besides abuses and delayed payment of wages, the workers endure underpayment and long working hours with few places to seek help.

Kim Hae-sung, president of Global Sarang, a civic group helping migrant workers, welcomed the development. “This legal permission was long overdue. Regardless of their legal status, the workers’ rights should be respected.”

But Kim said it will take more time for the union to be able to improve working conditions. “It has had so many challenges just to get here, and there is a long way to go. They should try hard and people should change their perception toward these workers.”