Supreme Court ruling on Ssangyong Motor strike and compensation

In 2009, the Supreme Court ruled that it was excessive for the National Metal Workers’ Union to compensate the management for 3.3 billion won, which supported Ssangyong Motor workers who went on a long-term strike against layoffs.

The 3rd Division of the Supreme Court overturned the lower court ruling that “the metal union should pay 3.3114 billion won and damages for delay to the company” in a lawsuit filed by Ssangyong Motors against the National Metal Workers’ Union today (15th). sent back to court.

The Supreme Court said, “Since the strike in this case exceeded the limits of its legitimacy, the lower court’s judgment was not wrong in finding that the defendant, the Metal Workers’ Union, was responsible for compensating the plaintiff Ssangyong Motor for damages caused by it.”

However, the Supreme Court ruled that the amount of 1.882 billion won paid by the plaintiff to those returning from the strike around December 2009 cannot be regarded as damages that have a significant causal relationship with the strike.

Previously, members of the Ssangyong Motors branch of the Korea Metal Workers’ Union held a strike against layoffs from May to August 77, 2009.

SsangYong Motor filed a lawsuit against the labor union and its members claiming damages, claiming that this caused production disruptions and other damages.

SsangYong Motor withdrew the lawsuit against the individual union members who participated in the strike in January 2016, but maintained the lawsuit against the union.