Seoul: The National Assembly passed a controversial labor bill broadening workers' rights Sunday, drawing mixed reactions from labor and business groups. The ruling Democratic Party led the vote, pushing the "yellow envelope bill" through despite a filibuster by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). The filibuster ended earlier in the day, and the PPP boycotted the vote, which was subsequently approved in a 183-3 vote at a plenary session.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the bill, which amends the Labor Union Act, is primarily designed to guarantee the bargaining rights of indirectly employed subcontracted workers. The bill also prohibits companies from filing lawsuits for damages or provisional seizures against unionized workers, which many argue businesses have used to suppress strikes.
Labor groups welcomed the bill's passage, with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) calling it "the historic fruit" of two decades of activist sacrifices. The KCTU, one of the country's two largest umbrella labor groups, said, "(The) simple and undeniable truth" that "every worker has the right to unite and bargain has finally become law." The group called for the government to come up with follow-up measures consistent with the bill's spirit.
However, the country's six major business lobby groups expressed deep regret over the bill's passage, warning it would severely harm Korean businesses and deter investors. In particular, they voiced concern that ambiguities in the definitions of "employer" and "labor disputes" would "open the door for legal conflicts between labor and management" in the future. They called on the National Assembly to clarify the legislation and urged the government to work closely with the business community during the six-month grace period to "minimize the impact of the bill's fallout."