Action Programme on Promotion & Education of multiple unionism & right to organize in Korea

1. Action Programme on Promotion & Education of multiple unionism & right to organize in Korea Yi, Sang-Hoon (Director of Policy Dept., KCTU)

2. Summary Info. Programme Title : Promotion and Education of multiple unionism and right to organize in Korea Country : S. Korea State : All local regions Implementing Agency : KCTU Duration : 13 months Proposed Starting Date : 1st June 2007 Budget : US $ 16,660

3. Background & Justification Labor Law Reform in 2006 • On 22nd Dec. 2006, labor law i.e. TULRAA was reformed • - Prohibition on multiple unionism extended for 3 years • - By Agreement among 5 parties with KCTU excluded • - Reiteration of same situation 10 years ago • Multiple unionism is the very heart of internationally • recognized fundamental trade union rights, which should be • implemented immediately.

4. Background & Justification Why Multiple Unionism is needed in Korea • Multiple Unionism • - right to join TU freely and, • - right to organize regardless of the existing trade unions ex) POSCO, the largest steel company in Korea - 20,000 regular workers & 20,000 irregular workers - pre-established 20 workers’ company union NO right to organize!! • The biggest victims of compulsory union monism are irregular, • female, migrant workers and small company workers amounted • to about 11 million.

5. Background & Justification Why Multiple Unionism is needed in Korea 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 01 03 05

6. Employment by size 78.2 5.3 3.5 3.4 9.6 under 100 100-299 300-499 500-999 over 1000 Background & Justification Why Multiple Unionism is needed in Korea 62.4 Union membership by size 22.8 14.4 8.8 6.0

7. Background & Justification What ILO Conventions Says • Clearly, such prohibitions violate international standards • relating to freedom of association specifically as outlines by • the ILO conventions. • <Related ILO Committee on FOA Recommendations> • 340th Report of the Committee on FOA (March, 2006) • to take rapid steps for the legalization of trade union pluralism at the enterprise level, in full consultation with all social partners concerned, so as to guarantee at all levels the right of workers to establish and join the organization of their own choosing

8. Background & Justification Issues on the Introduction of MU • The prospect of trade union movement under the multiple • unionism is uncertain • - legal system • - how MU influence overall labor movement • - unification of bargaining channel • 2. Different positions surrounding MU • - by company • 3. Organizing strategy based on detailed plan and targeting • will be essential • - no restriction not only in legal aspect, but in practical • meaning

9. Target Group • Direct Recipient • - Local general union • - Trade union leaders and education dept. staffs in large • companies • - Other labor activists, such as members of local DLP labor • committee and activists in labor organizations. • Intended Beneficiaries • - Most of unorganized workers, such as irregular, female, • migrant workers who are hardly represented.

10. Process Expectation Int’l Symposium ILO Democratic Labor Party KCTU Labor Organizations Target Group Coordinating Mech. & Partners Korean Gov. Pressure Education Local Labor Committee in DLP Organizers in Local General Union Union Leaders in established TU organizing

11. Objectives Development Objectives • This work-plan will contribute to achieving the following; • Enhancement of organizing capacity of trade union as a • preparation for multiple unionism in the future. • 2. Publicity to the necessity of multiple unionism, the change of • legal environment under multiple unionism, and its • influences to overall labor movement will be widened.

12. Objectives Immediate Objectives • Trade union activists’ knowledge broadened. • ☞ The justification and necessity of multiple unionism. • ☞ The problems of the unification of bargaining channel • ☞ The environmental change in collective bargaining and the • significance of multiple unionism in labor movement. • 2. Organizing capacity of the local general unions enhanced • ☞ Ability to identify the target of organizing in the local area. • ☞ Skills in organizing workers • ☞ Ability to address the legal changes • 3. Large TU’s worries about MU relieved • ☞ Necessity of MU <= unorganized workers’ restricted labor rights. • ☞ Union monism will undermine the development of labor • movement.

13. Activities 1st Activities – Int’l Sympo. • 1-1. For Immediate Objective 1. • To broaden trade union activists’ knowledge about multiple • unionism. • 1-2. Activity 1 - International Symposium on; • “International Symposium on multiple unionism and the • change of labor movement” • ► Workshop #1. “The Present Union Monism and the • Restriction of right to organize in Korea” • ► Workshop #2. “The reality and legal structure of multiple • Unionism in France, Italy, Japan & US”

14. Activities 1st Activities – Int’l Sympo. • ► Workshop #3. “Organizing Strategies in international • perspectives” • ► Workshop #4. “The Multiple Unionism and Trade Unions’ • Response” • 1-3. Outputs & Indicator 1. • At least 300 persons from each confederation, local general • unions and members of DLP will be participated.

15. Activities & Outputs 2st Activities – Training 1 • 2-1. For Immediate Objective 2. • To improve organizing capacity of organizers in the local general unions under the circumstance of multiple unionism • 2-2. Activity 2 – Training target at local general unions • Provide regular training course to 250 activists, who come from 12 different local general unions, or in the DLP local labor committee. • conducted in rotation to each of these 12 local general unions once in 6 months.(24 training session during 13months)

16. Activities 2st Activities – Training 2. • The training will shed light on: • - key concepts of multiple unionism and the present legal structure • - organizing skills and strategies under multiple unionism • implementation of organizing plan • - roundtable discussions • 2-3. Outputs & Indicators 2. • 12 local general unions are involved in the training. • 250 activists are trained. • 24 training sessions are conducted • Key elements of the training are summarized and published