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| Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and the minor opposition Justice Party unilaterally pass a controversial bill, designed to restrict employers' damages suits against striking workers, during a meeting of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee, Tuesday. Seats for members of the ruling People Power Party are left empty as they walked out of the meeting in protest. Yonhap |
Ruling party walks out of meeting in protest
By Jun Ji-hye
A parliamentary committee controlled by opposition parties passed a controversial bill restricting employers' damages suits against striking workers, Tuesday, despite strong objections from the ruling party and the government as well as businesses.
The National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee passed the bill aimed at revising the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, after members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) walked out of the meeting in protest.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) holds a majority in the labor committee as well as the National Assembly, with backup from the minor opposition Justice Party.
Following the passage of the bill at the labor committee, the revision moved a step closer to its final passage at a plenary Assembly session later this month.
The revision is designed to restrict claims for damages and provisional seizures against unionized workers for the purpose of suppressing their strikes. It also calls for guaranteeing indirectly hired workers' collective bargaining right.
The ruling party has claimed that the revision will only encourage illegal strikes by workers and hurt the national economy.
"The current union law is enough to protect laborers," PPP Rep. Lim Lee-ja said, claiming that the revision will make it harder for employers to deal with their workers' illegal strikes and result in a withdrawal of foreign capital from the country.
PPP Rep. Lee Joo-hwan slammed the two opposition parties for passing the revision through the committee unilaterally "without sufficient discussions."
On the other hand, DPK Rep. Jeon Yong-gi criticized Labor Minister Lee Jeong-sik for urging the Assembly to reconsider the passage of the controversial bill during an "emergency press briefing" held the previous day.
During the briefing, the minister said the revision could increase costs from labor-management conflicts, resulting in corporate losses and falls in investment.
Rep. Jeon claimed it was "improper" to deliver the government's position before the Assembly committee's meeting was held.
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| Justice Party Chairwoman Lee Jung-mi, fourth from left, speaks during a press conference held in front of the National Assembly, Tuesday, welcoming the passage of a controversial bill designed to restrict employers' damages suits against striking workers by the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee. Yonhap |
Following Tuesday's passage, the revision will move to the Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the last stage before being put to a vote at the plenary session. There are expectations that the bill would be blocked by the legislation committee as it is headed by PPP Rep. Kim Do-eup.
It, however, would not mean the failure of its final passage, as in this case, opposition parties are expected to bring the bill directly to the plenary session.
The Assembly law stipulates that if bills are pending at the judiciary committee for more than 60 days, they can be referred directly to the plenary session with more than three-fifths of the votes in favor among the members of relevant standing committees ― in this case, the labor committee.
Bracing for the final passage of the revision, PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young said his party will ask President Yoon Suk Yeol to exercise his veto powers.
The bill has been nicknamed the "yellow envelope law" after supporters of unionized SsangYong Motor workers at the time delivered yellow envelopes with cash following a 2013 court ruling, which ordered them to pay a combined 4.7 billion won ($3.6 million) to the company for causing losses during their 2009 strike.
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