Pro baseball players pledge to unionize

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean professional baseball players moved closer to forming a union Monday after representatives from the nation's eight teams agreed at a meeting in Seoul on the need to protect players' rights.

Last week, the Korea Professional Baseball Players' Association (KPBPA), an
informal group of all 463 players from the country's eight professional teams,
announced that it would reorganize itself into a labor union, making it a legal
negotiating partner with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
"Representatives from each team agreed to the unionization of baseball players,"
Son Min-han, president of the KPBPA, told reporters after a preparatory meeting
of 16 representatives from the eight clubs. "We are aware that the announcement
is sudden but we will inform all athletes of the necessity for the union."
Since the inauguration of the pro baseball league in 1982, the KBO has denied
players permission to establish a lawful labor union. The basebal governing body
instead allowed players set up the KPBPA in 2000 on condition that it remain a
private organization with no legal negotiating power.
The KBO said last week that it would not change its position regarding a players'
union and instead offered dialogue to discuss the KPBPA's demands to improve
players' status.
"There is a general consensus among representatives about the need for a union,"
Kwon Si-hyeong, general director of the KPBPA, said. "We will make a survey of
players' opinions and take steps to establish the union."
The KPBPA also adopted a statement criticizing the KBO for appointing its former
official, Lee Sang-gook, as general director in charge of business affairs for
the organization.
"Lee suppressed players by trying to block the launch of the KPBPA in 2000. We
will not hold a dialogue with him," said Kwon.