No more union violence

Labor, management should solve disputes peacefully

Legal labor activities should be protected by law. But illegal and violent actions should be punished sternly. Regrettably, this rule of law has not been applied faithfully, at least to unionists, since the liberal Moon Jaein administration was installed in 2017. Union workers have often engaged in violent and militant "struggles" with law enforcement agencies.

Against this backdrop, a regional court made a ruling against a runaway labor union and its members affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), Monday. The Ulsan District Court approved Hyundai Heavy Industries' request to seize the assets of its union and workers for damages caused by their illegal strikes and violent acts in May.

On Tuesday, the nation's largest shipbuilder also filed a suit against the union, demanding an initial 3 billion won ($2.5 million) in compensation for damages arising from union workers' violent acts and illegal strikes over the company's split-up plan after acquiring the troubled Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). The sum is part of an estimated damage of 9.2 billion won ($7.8 million) which the company claimed was caused by the unionists.

The ruling should not come as a surprise. It is right for the court to call to account the union for its violent acts and illegal strikes that inflicted huge damage on the company. However, the union still claims the firm is suppressing its legal strikes.

The decision means that any illegal and violent protests by union workers should not be condoned. Law enforcement authorities should get tougher with union workers engaging in any illegal and violent acts. For their part, union workers have to change their outdated methods and exercise their rights to collective action within the boundaries of the law.

We hope the ruling serves as an opportunity for labor and management to solve their disputes through dialogue, and promote industrial peace.