Ahead of the Samsung Electronics union's announced general strike, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions criticized discussion of invoking the emergency mediation authority as inappropriate.
On the 17th, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions issued a commentary, saying, "The emergency mediation authority is a last-resort emergency measure that restricts fundamental labor rights and has been exercised only in extremely exceptional cases in the past."
It added, "Attempts to apply it simply because the economic ripple effect is large carry a high risk of effectively becoming a precedent that restricts the right to strike for workers at large corporations."
It continued, emphasizing, "The three labor rights are not rights that are selectively guaranteed depending on economic conditions."
Labor law specifies that the emergency mediation authority is invoked "when a strike action significantly harms the national economy or endangers people's daily lives." The emergency mediation authority was last invoked in Dec. 2005 for the Asiana Airlines and Korean Air Lines pilot strikes, and has been exercised four times in total.
The Federation of Korean Trade Unions stressed, "The government's role is not to mention coercive intervention but to strengthen coordination and mediation so that issues can be resolved through autonomous bargaining and dialogue."
That day, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions also argued, "Stop smear-style attacks against unions."
The Federation of Korean Trade Unions said, "The bonus dispute is not an issue to be dismissed simply as an 'excessive demand,'" adding, "This matter should be seen as a legitimate challenge to how and by what criteria the profits created by corporations are distributed, and to whom."
Regarding some characterizations of the Samsung Electronics union as a "privileged union" or "emperor union," it criticized them, saying, "Not only do they do nothing to help resolve the situation, they also make labor-management dialogue more difficult and amplify conflict."
That day, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok delivered a national address regarding the Samsung Electronics strike after the Federation of Korean Trade Unions commentary. Kim said, "If significant damage to the national economy is feared due to the Samsung Electronics strike, the government will consider every possible response measure, including emergency mediation."