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| Kim Deuk-joong, left, leader of the labor union of SsangYong Motor, reacts outside the Supreme Court in Seoul on June 15, after it ordered a retrial of a damages suit against the Korean Metal Workers' Union regarding its involvement in a violent strike at the company in 2009. Yonhap |
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a retrial of a damages suit against the Korean Metal Workers' Union regarding its involvement in a violent strike at SsangYong Motor in 2009, seeking a reduction of compensation by one-third.
Lower courts had ordered the union to pay 3.31 billion won ($2.58 million) and damages for the delay in the suit filed by the carmaker, now known as KG Mobility. The courts held the union 60 percent liable for an estimated loss of 5.52 billion won resulting from the 2 1/2-month strike that started in May 2009.
The top court overturned the ruling and remanded the case back to the Seoul High Court, stating the calculation of the loss should exclude the 1.88 billion won that SsangYong had paid to returning workers in December 2009.
The court reasoned the payment was a discretionary decision by the management and cannot be deemed as damage directly caused by the strike.
The metal industry union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, was originally obligated to pay around 10 billion won in compensation to the company.
As a result of the ruling, the principal sum of 3.31 billion won is expected to be reduced by 30 percent, leading to a significant decrease in damages for the delay.
SsangYong's labor union, which was part of the metal workers' union, went on strike in May 2009 to protest the management's restructuring plan.
They occupied the assembly plant in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul, for 77 days before the strike was forcefully disbanded when police commandos intervened.
SsangYong filed compensation lawsuits against both the union and its members. The company dropped the case against the individual strikers in January 2016, while maintaining the lawsuit against the union.
SsangYong was acquired last year by KG Group, a chemical-to-steel company. (Yonhap)
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