The lines of communication between labor and the government have been cut off for some times now, but they say that recently prime minister Lee Hae Chan and Yi Yong Deuk of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (Han'guk Nochong, FKTU) met and talked. Labor leaders had declared they were stopping all dialogue until labor minister Kim Dae Hwan was removed from his position, so the meeting is a positive development.
Continuing conflict between government and organized labor can be good for no one. The Asia-Pacific meeting of the International Labor Organisation (ILO) that had been scheduled for next month in Busan has been postponed because of labor-government discord, hurting Korea's international image. The situation has become one that can no longer be neglected.
The primary responsibility for the way the relationship has gone sour is the Labor Ministry's hard-line response to labor demands and Kim Dae Hwan's imprudent attitude. Several times since last year the Labor Ministry has tried to force changes to laws relating to irregular workers and angered labor groups in the process. The government intervened in the recent Asiana pilots' strike, showing no interest in trying to resolve the situation through dialogue. Kim made matters worse by making comments at each point in recent months that only angered labor even more.
The Labor Ministry's approach still hasn't changed. The situation is such that prime minister Lee is getting involved, and still the ministry does nothing at all – other than behaving in ways further enrages labor groups. One high-level official at the ministry met with a FKTU official unofficially, and angered the organization's leadership. It even gave the media a statement by professors critical of the labor movement. How can it have dialogue with labor when it behaves like that?
It wouldn't be too late for the ministry to sense its responsibility for bringing the situation to what it is and take a new approach, one that wins labor's trust. If it forever fails to use its ability to resolve conflict, then there needs to be a larger government approach that goes beyond the ministry.
The Hankyoreh, 2 September 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Don’t Delay Restoration of Labor-Gov't Relations |
