KEF Urges KCTU to Join Efforts to Overcome Crisis
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has resolved to hold a general strike on July 16. In response, the business community expressed strong concern, calling it an "illegal political strike driven by political demands that cannot be justified as the purpose of a strike."
On July 14, the Korea Employers Federation issued a statement, saying, "Our economy is currently facing a severe crisis due to a sharp deterioration in the trade environment and continued sluggish domestic demand."
The KCTU has announced plans to stage a general strike on July 16 and July 19, demanding revisions to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act (the so-called Yellow Envelope Law), labor-government negotiations, full application of the Labor Standards Act to workers at businesses with fewer than five employees, and amendments to the Labor Standards Act to guarantee labor rights for special employment and platform workers.
The Korea Employers Federation defined the KCTU's general strike as an "illegal strike," expressing concern that "an illegal political strike, which is carried out to push for their demands under political slogans at a time when all economic actors should unite their efforts, will only worsen the economic difficulties."
The Federation further called on the KCTU to withdraw its plan for a general strike, urging the union to join efforts to overcome the crisis as a responsible economic actor.
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