Lawsuits against unions withdrawn under labor-friendly administration

Korean conglomerates are yielding to government and ruling party requests to reconcile with subcontracted workers, while foreign companies still watch with concern over the labor-friendly administration’s efforts to redefine “employer” and limit damages lawsuits against striking workers. Hyundai Steel recently withdrew a lawsuit seeking 4.6 billion won ($3.3 million) in damages from 461 subcontracted workers who staged a 50-day sit-in at its Dangjin steel mill in South Chungcheong Province in 2021. The decision follows pressure from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which urged Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Motor — both subsidiaries of Hyundai Motor Group — to drop suits filed against subcontracted workers. “This outcome comes from our union’s meeting with DPK lawmakers and our appeal about the unfair lawsuit, as the party moves to revise the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act,” Hyundai Steel’s union for irregular workers in South Chungcheong Province said Wednesday in a message to members. With political pressure intensifying, speculation is mountingWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times