Jikgang Gapjil 119: "69% of Workers Support the Yellow Envelope Act"

Lee Jung-mi, leader of the Justice Party, is speaking at the "Justice Party Sit-in Protest for the Enactment of the Yellow Envelope Act" press conference held on the stairs in front of the National Assembly Main Building on the 30th of last month. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] A survey found that 7 out of 10 office workers support the so-called 'Yellow Envelope Act,' which limits claims for damages against striking workers.

The civic group Workplace Bullying 119 announced on the 25th that, according to a survey of 1,000 office workers, 68.5% of respondents supported the proposed amendment to Article 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act (Trade Union Act) containing such provisions.

Regarding the proposed amendment to Article 2 of the same law, which expands the concept of 'employer' to include those who have de facto influence over working conditions, 83.8% responded in favor.

The Trade Union Act amendment, known as the Yellow Envelope Act, is currently pending in the National Assembly with opinions sharply divided.

The employer side argues that the criteria for determining employer status in the amendment are not objective and difficult to predict, raising concerns about undermining legal stability. They also point out that prohibiting or limiting claims for damages related to industrial actions seriously infringes on property rights, equality rights, and the right to seek judicial remedy, potentially leading to the collapse of the market economy order.

Meanwhile, Workplace Bullying 119 commissioned the public opinion research firm Embrain Public to conduct the survey from the 7th to the 14th of this month, targeting 1,000 office workers nationwide aged 19 and older.