Conglomerates concerned about controversial labor laws

SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- The government of President Lee Myung-bak should move
quickly to minimize potential industrial unrest from contentious labor laws,
officials at the nation's biggest business lobby said Wednesday.
Starting this year, South Korea implemented the laws that allow multiple unions
for each workplace and ban companies from paying wages to full-time union
members.
But the laws have stirred up a storm of controversy because one of their
provisions requires companies to pay wages to a limited number of full-time union
representatives when they participate in union activities such as collective
bargaining and addressing grievances.
While labor organization argue the laws would weaken labor unions, business
groups warned the provision would become a source of conflict with the unions in
deciding the number of full-time union representatives eligible under the
provision.
"Companies are in a state of confusion because there has been talk that some
full-time union representatives may be paid with taxpayers' money," said an
official at the Federation of Korean Industries, which represents big business
conglomerates such as Samsung and Hyundai Motor.
"To stave off such worries, the government should minimize the number of
full-time union members eligible under the provision," the federation official
said.
The official's remarks came after the federation held a meeting earlier in the
day with Labor Minister Lim Tae-hee. At the meeting, the federation expressed
those worries to Lim, according to the official.
It wasn't immediately known how Lim responded to their concerns.
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