As the law allowing multiple unions in a single workplace took effect Friday, three companies reported the establishment of their second labor unions.
Semiconductor manufacturer named KEC Corp. in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, filed a report that a new union consisting of 13 employees had been formed in addition to the existing 140-person union which is a member of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. The newly created union has not joined an umbrella union yet.
KEC is famous for its fierce labor conflicts. A unionized worker set himself on fire after labor-management talks were broken off in June last year.
Another nascent six-person union of Daewoo Securities Co. based in Seoul filed a report, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor Friday. The small union said it has not joined an umbrella union.
The brokerage which employs some 3,300 people has a 2,200-member union which belongs to the KCTU’s financial trade union.
A taxi business named Hanseong Transportation Co. in Incheon, with 203 employees, also reported Friday the establishment of a new 77-member union.
The new union’s membership drew attention as it is more than twice the size of the existing one which has only 36 workers.
By Kim So-hyun (
sophie@heraldcorp.com)
