Opposition Party: "Fair Trade Commission, Stop Suppressing Cargo Solidarity Union"

Fair Trade Commission Investigates Cargo Solidarity After General Strike
Opposition Euljiro Committee: "Cannot Be Subject to Fair Trade Commission Regulation"
Labor Side: "Suppression of Normal Union Activities"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The Democratic Party's Euljiro Committee condemned the Fair Trade Commission, which launched an investigation into the Cargo Solidarity Headquarters, saying, "Stop the suppression of union activities immediately."

Members of the Euljiro Committee held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 20th and said, "The Fair Trade Commission suddenly announced that it would apply the Fair Trade Act to the Cargo Solidarity, whose strike has ended, to investigate whether there were any violations of the Fair Trade Act such as unfair joint acts and prohibited acts by business associations."

Currently, the Fair Trade Commission is defining the Cargo Solidarity, whose general strike has ended, as a business association rather than a labor union and is demanding the submission of materials related to the list of union members.

The members collectively argued that the actions of the labor union do not fall under business associations and therefore cannot be subject to regulation by the Fair Trade Commission. They said, "Under the Labor Union Act, workers are guaranteed the rights of freedom of association, collective bargaining, and collective action," and criticized, "Investigating labor activities under the Fair Trade Act is like wielding a club against workers while having the authority to prevent unfair tyranny by large corporations."

Members of the Democratic Party Euljiro Committee are holding a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office press conference room on the 20th. [Photo by Democratic Party Euljiro Committee]

They further pointed out that the Fair Trade Commission's investigation is "an unjust intervention in union activities, which is completely unrelated to the role of the Fair Trade Commission to 'establish the basic order of economic activities to guarantee fair and free competition between companies,' and a serious abuse of authority."

They also said that the decision-making process is suspected of illegality. Referring to Fair Trade Commission Chairman Han Ki-jung's statement at a press conference on the 2nd, where he said, "We consider truck owners belonging to the Cargo Solidarity as business operators. We also judge that similar construction union cases fall under business operators," they said, "This breaks the NCND principle of not commenting on ongoing investigations and shows a biased investigation with predetermined conclusions."

They added, "The Fair Trade Commission, forgetting its original mission, is pushing forward with an investigation that is both unreasonable in content and illegal in process, which can only be seen as pandering to President Yoon Seok-yeol who is hostile to workers," and emphasized, "Stop pandering to the president and start paying attention to the people."

At the press conference, Jang Ok-gi, chairman of the Construction Industry Federation from the Construction Union, also said, "The Fair Trade Commission is suppressing the normal labor activities of us construction machinery workers with the money it receives," and pointed out, "A society where workers who sweat and work hard are treated well is fairness and common sense."

Onam-jun, vice chairman of the Cargo Solidarity, also said, "They practically denied the right to strike itself and are now trying to label the rights of association and bargaining, which are means for cargo workers to protect themselves at the workplace, as illegal," and expressed "deep regret to the Fair Trade Commission in protest against the excessive union suppression by the Yoon administration."