Central Labor Relations Commission upholds initial ruling rejecting Korea Zinc's bargaining unit separation request; Keukdong Construction appeal also dismissed

A view of Korea Zinc's Onsan smelter [Korea Zinc]
A view of Korea Zinc's Onsan smelter [Korea Zinc]

The Central Labor Relations Commission has upheld an initial ruling in Korea Zinc's case seeking separation of its collective bargaining unit. The decision continues a pattern of the commission affirming lower-level rulings in major cases involving contractor-subcontractor relationships and multiple unions under the revised Trade Union Act.

The commission's appeals panel, which convened Friday, dismissed Korea Zinc's request to separate its bargaining unit, reaching the same conclusion as the initial ruling.

Bargaining unit separation allows each union to negotiate independently when multiple unions exist at a single workplace. The ruling means Korea Zinc will continue operating under a single, unified bargaining unit.

The commission also upheld the initial ruling in a separate case involving Keukdong Construction, which had sought review of a regional labor commission's decision to order corrections to a notice of bargaining demands. The commission accepted the lower body's finding in full.

The commission has been consistently affirming initial rulings in appeals cases related to the revised Trade Union Act. On Wednesday, it upheld lower-level decisions in all four cases involving Donghee Auto, Incheon International Airport, Posco and Ewha Womans University Medical Center.

Labor circles have interpreted the trend as a sign that protections for bargaining rights and union activities are being maintained even at the appeals stage. Business groups, however, have raised concerns that the grounds for approving bargaining unit separation may be becoming too narrow.


fact0514@heraldcorp.com