The number of working days lost due to strikes last year totaled 394,000 days. Working days lost is an indicator that converts into workdays the losses that occur when a labor union halts work for at least eight hours a day because of labor-management conflict. It is calculated by multiplying the number of participants by the number of days halted. This year, with the implementation of the "the yellow envelope law, a new labor law aimed at strengthening the bargaining rights of subcontract workers" (Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act Articles 2 and 3 amendments), concerns are being raised that this figure could rise again.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) on Apr. 5, the number of working days lost last year was 394,000 days, down 13.8% from the previous year (457,000 days).
Working days lost hit a record high of 2,035,000 days in 2016, then plunged to 862,000 days in 2017. It stayed in the 400,000–500,000 range from 2018 to 2021 and fell into the 300,000s in 2022–2023. It rose again to 457,000 days in 2024, but last year decreased back into the 300,000s.
This trend is interpreted as unions prioritizing practical gains over hard-line struggles. In fact, the number of labor disputes has been on a downtrend, from 223 in 2023 to 131 in 2024 and 123 last year.
However, with the yellow envelope law, a new labor law aimed at strengthening the bargaining rights of subcontract workers taking effect this year, there is also the possibility that disputes will rise again. Under the amendments, subcontractor labor unions can demand bargaining with parent corporations even without a direct employment relationship. Mass layoffs and restructuring are also included as subjects of dispute. In addition, corporate claims for damages arising from strikes are restricted to a certain extent.
Meanwhile, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) is ramping up pressure on parent business sites that are passive in bargaining. The KCTU plans to stage a general strike on Jul. 15.