The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a general strike rally in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 15th and urged parent companies to negotiate directly with subcontractors.
That day, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a general strike rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul. An unofficial police estimate put the crowd at 5,000, while the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) estimated 10,000.
Yang Kyung-su, Chairperson of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), said, "After the revised Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act ('the yellow envelope law, a new labor law aimed at strengthening the bargaining rights of subcontract workers') took effect, numerous nonregular subcontract workers demanded negotiations," and added, "Parent companies are still keeping silent and are focused only on evading responsibility." The yellow envelope law, a new labor law aimed at strengthening the bargaining rights of subcontract workers, expands the definition of the parent company—that is, the employer—under the existing Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act from "direct employer" to "a party that substantially controls working conditions," and has been in effect since Mar.
Yang, the Chairperson, said, "Over the past four months, we demanded negotiations at more than 400 business sites within the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), but only four sites are actually negotiating." Yang continued, "When the status of the parent company as employer is clear yet it evades responsibility, workers have no choice but to confront it with a struggle."
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) marched toward the former presidential office after finishing the rally at about 4:30 p.m. that afternoon. In front of the former presidential office, the Mart Industry Labor Union's Homeplus Co. chapter is holding a general assembly, urging the government to come up with measures related to Homeplus Co.'s turnaround.
Meanwhile, because traffic congestion is expected, police plan to deploy traffic officers to direct vehicles to detours. Depending on on-site conditions, congestion may occur on some sections, including Sejong-daero and Sajik-ro.