Industrial Unions in Korea

Korea Health & Medical Workers’ Union (KHMU) bogun.nodong.org

KHMU Many hospitals were unionized in 1987 Korean Federation of Hospital Unions (KFHU) in 1988-1998 Over 100 hospital unions belonging to KFHU Transformed into industrial union, KHMU in February 1998 140 hospital branches belonging to one union, KHMU First industrial agreement in 2004 after 2-week industrial strike with 10,000 members

KHMU Established as federation 1988 Transformed into industrial union in 1998 140 hospitals 40,000 members 11 regional offices 50 full-time activists (25 persons at HQ) 300 full-time union officers at workplace level 8% of unionization rate (500,000 workers in healthcare sector) Union dues: 1 % of monthly wage (around 15 USD) + solidarity fund 50% for workplace union, 40% for HQ, 10% for regional offices Yearly budget: USD 4 million 5 departments: administration & finance, policy & planning, organizing, education & public relations, precarious workers, external relations

Struggle coordinated and guided by KHMU

KHMU press conference

KHMU industrial bargaining

KHMU campaign for 5-day workweek

Korea Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU)

KMWU Korean Federation of Metal Trade Unions (KFMU) established in 1998 with 200,000 members, after the merger among metal union federation, auto union federation and Hyundai Group union federation. Some company unions inside KFMU was transformed into KMWU in 2001 with 30,000 members. Most company unions dissolved company union structure and joined KMWU in 2006, resulting in the KMWU membership with 158,000 members.

KMWU Membership decline 4 sectors: 19 branches 153,013 members in September 2008 136,132 members as of November 2011 in 238 unionized companies 135,000 members as of June 2013 4 sectors: Auto: 90,000 members Shipbuilding: 10,000 members Steel: 10,000 members General manufacturing: 20,000 members 19 branches 14 regional branches 5 company branches

KMWU Structure HQ 5 company branches 14 regional branches 4 sectors Auto Shipbuilding Steel manufacturing 14 regional branches 5 company branches 240 companies

KMWU Manpower Leadership 7 departments Full-timers 1 president, first vice president, general secretary 5 general vice presidents, 1 woman vice president 7 departments policy planning, external relations, public relations, education, health & safety, precarious workers, organizing Full-timers 90 activists are employed by KMWU 70 leaders are dispatched from company-level unions to upper-level unions such as KMWU HQ and regional branches 1,000 full-timers at workplace level

18% at regional branch level KMWU Finance 38,000,000,000 Korea won = 35,000,000 US dollar 18% for several funds 16% at HQ level 18% at regional branch level 48% at company level 1% of normal wage

Collective Bargaining Central bargaining KMWU HQ and metal employers association 20,000 members are covered KMWU and big company bargaining Regional branch bargaining Company-level bargaining

Korean Confederation of Trade Unions KCTU Korean Confederation of Trade Unions

KCTU 16 regional offices 16 industrial unions or federations 700,000 members

KCTU affiliates Construction and building union Public service & transport union Civil servant union Professor union CAL professor union Metal union (KMWU) University union General union Healthcare union (KHMU) Private service union Financial and clerical union Press union Chemical & textile union Information & technology union Teachers union Women union

Importance of Union Structure Individual worker Vs United workers Capitalist with money and capital Workers united at Factory Company Industry National Global Forms of Union Structure regional

Company unionism Industrial unionism Employee organization HR management unit Small-sized and scattered Decentralized and narrow-minded Weak bargaining power Limited struggle power Poor influence over government Poor consciousness and poor strategy Workers organization National union in industry Big-sized (class organization) Unified and centralized Strong bargaining power Industry/nation-wide struggle Industrial policy and social system change High consciousness and effective strategy / ideology