노란봉투법 시행 6개월…교섭 요구 4곳 중 3곳이 ‘거부’

As the implementation of the Yellow Tape Law (revised Labor Union and Labor Relations Settlement Law) enters its sixth month, a new report highlights that only one in four companies have actually engaged in negotiations. According to data collected from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, out of 456 yellow tape companies (259 private and 197 public sector), only 102 have entered into negotiations.

Additionally, 4 companies, or 32.7%, have refused to engage in negotiations despite posting notice. This phenomenon is attributed to the "time-consuming" approach of many companies, who even request a re-hearing from the central labor union even after receiving a decision from the local labor office. It can take up to 30 days for companies to receive the decision from the labor office, after which they may file a lawsuit in the administrative court.

In one case, Hanhoe Ocean, a company involved in producing, distributing, and providing welfare services, filed a lawsuit against user companies at the Seoul Administrative Court, denying user status to the subcontracting union and welfare companies. Labor experts point out that current interpretations of the labor union law and its amendments, along with guidelines, are hindering the implementation of the law.

Even government agencies, expected to be "model users," are avoiding negotiation with subcontracting unions. The public transportation union has been protesting at the Seoul Employment Labor Office since 24 days ago, demanding improvements to the guidelines. The Ministry of Labor plans to strengthen the implementation guidelines at the beginning of next month, which are expected to address issues such as the range of labor disputes and the specific scope of business management decisions.