The Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) has been fighting discrimination at Yoosung Enterprise Co., Ltd. for over five years. A strike in 2011 over the company’s refusal to implement the collective agreement led to a temporary closure, and pressure on workers to leave the KMWU and form a yellow union. Since the creation of the new union, the company has blatantly discriminated in its favour. Negotiations with the KMWU dating from 2011 were never concluded, because management tabled unacceptable terms, while agreement was quickly reached with the new union. KMWU members have been deprived of annual wage inceases as a result. In addition to favouring the new union in the bargaining process, the company has shown discrimination in terms of guaranteeing union activities (granting of time-off, providing union offices and facilities and etc.) and has even targeted individual unionised workers, for example in personal evaluations, giving or withholding opportunities for overtime work etc. The company has also paid the expenses for social gatherings and outings to a luxury bar for the new union.
Investigations by the Ministry of Labour and the Public Prosecutor have shown that the company’s main contractor, Hyundai Motors, is behind the union busting, even setting targets and deadlines. It has taken a long time for the case to come to court, and it was still before the court at the time of writing.