[Affiliates News] Korean Government Employees’ Union

Ministry of labor returned union establishment report of KGEU

The Korean Government Employees’ Union indicted the Labor Minister for abuse of authority on March 9 after he refused the register of the union twice. The union also filed a lawsuit in the Seoul Administrative Court to cancel the Ministry’s refusal to register of the union. The public workers’ union said that it had revised its union rules pursuant to status of union member, which the Ministry had ordered to modify, and conformed to Ministry directives. However, the union said, the Ministry declined the register once again. The union added this was illegal, infringing on the union’s autonomy and violating its right to unite.  

The Labor Ministry returned the KGEU’s establishment report because the union guaranteed dismissed workers union membership and some provisions in the union rules did not conform to relevant laws last December. In March 3, the second report was returned in that the union was suspicious of having dismissed workers retaining their union membership.

KGEU’s Inauguration Rally

The KGEU held an inauguration rally attended by union officials on March 20. The rally was held to denounce the current Korean government. The government has twice returned establishment reports of the KGEU, deprived public workers of freedom in speech and conscience, which are guaranteed by the Constitution, and amended laws to prohibit government workers from freedom of assembly and association               . ■