Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik is briefing on the transparency of labor union accounting at the Presidential Office Building in Yongsan on the afternoon of the 20th, with Ahn Sang-hoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs, and Kim Eun-hye, Senior Secretary to Public Relations, present. 2023.2.20. news 1
While the government took out a card to suspend subsidies and withdraw funds for unions that did not comply with the fact-finding investigation of accounting data, the two major trade union federations, the Korean Federation of Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Federation of Democratic Trade Unions (CTU), condemned the government with one voice. .
In a briefing on the 20th, Lee Ji-hyeon, spokesman for the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, claimed that the government had already fulfilled its obligation to provide financial documents at the request of the government, saying, “The government is exercising its powers and excessively intervening in the operation of the union.”
Spokesman Lee said, “(Subsidies) are thoroughly audited by external accounts and will continue to be so,” and criticized, “It is fierce and petty to threaten with the budget approved by the National Assembly, taking issue with the non-submission of accounting data for union fees that are not related to this.” .
“If support is stopped, the most problematic thing is the labor cost of counselors at 19 regional counseling centers across the country,” he said.
Han Sang-jin, spokesman for the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, also issued a statement on the same day and asked whether it would be possible to find fraudulent use of the subsidy received if selected after submitting a business plan according to an official letter sent by the government and regional governments. that,” he pointed out.
A spokesperson raised his voice, saying, “They have reached the point of intimidation with money, such as tax deductions and suspension of subsidies and subsidies.”
He said, “The government’s offensive is all about law revision, but it is not possible in the current (political) topography.” It is a paving stone for it,” he insisted.
According to the union support received from the Ministry of Employment and Labor and 17 metropolitan governments across the country by Rep. Kwon Seong-dong the day before, the total amount of support received by the two unions from 2018 to last year is 152.05 billion won. Metropolitan municipalities provided 134.34 billion won, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor provided 17.71 billion won.
According to the Trade Union Act, the union must prepare financial books and documents and keep them in the office, and report the settlement results and operational status if requested by the administrative authority. However, the Ministry of Employment and Labor previously requested accounting-related data from 327 labor unions and associations with 1,000 or more union members by the 15th, and only 120 (36.7%) submitted data in line with government standards.
President Yoon Seok-yeol received a report from Employment and Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik that afternoon and said, “Unless the union’s accounting transparency is secured, fair labor reform cannot be achieved, and there is no future for the youth without the end of strong vested unions.” A high-intensity response was ordered.
In response, Minister Lee said in an afternoon briefing, “Union unions that do not fulfill their obligation to keep financial documents even after imposing fines and conducting on-site inspections will be excluded from government support, and subsidies already paid will be returned if they are used illegally.” said. In addition, he added, “In accordance with the current Enforcement Decree of the Income Tax Act, we will review from scratch the system of tax deduction for 15% of union membership fees to support union activities.”
Donga.com reporter Kim So-young sykim41@donga.com
