FTC SEES LABOR UNION AS BUSINESS ASSOC.

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The Fair Trade Commission has levied a fine on an association, which consists of businesses that have construction machinery, for controlling businesses' activities to limit competition among its members. However, while being business owners who rent out construction machinery, members of the association are also employment workers who work with machinery themselves. The FTC says it will apply the same standards to the Cargo Truckers' Solidarity currently on strike, as they're in fact a business association even though they appear as a labor union on the outskirt. Truckers immediately opposed the move.

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This association consists of businesses that have construction machinery, such as excavators. The Fair Trade Commission has levied a fine on the organization's regional association. The FTC said the association has violated the Fair Trade Act by controlling the rental prices of excavators and members' work hours, prohibiting working with non-members, and imposing other preconditions on its members' business activities. The FTC says although the association's business members are also special employment workers, their association is subject to sanctions. The FTC says it will apply the same standards to the Cargo Truckers' Solidarity. It believes that although the CTS appears to be a labor union on the outside, in reality it's a business association, which means it can receive punishment for coercing its members to join strikes or for obstructing transportation. The CTS claims it is a labor union with three guaranteed primary rights. Therefore it cannot be subject to punishment under the Fair Trade Act. When it comes to general strikes by certain job types, the FTC applied the same rule to sanction the Korean Medical Association when doctors held a massive strike and refused to provide healthcare services two years ago. But some say the FTC should investigate the matter with prudence because the doctors' case did not cause a controversy over whether it was a labor union or not.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Sung-hee(Korea University) : "Although they are classified self-employed, they are also viewed as subordinate workers, hence the job title ‘special employment workers’. I don't think it right to argue about whether it's a labor union or not based on job titles."

The FTC's attempt to conduct an on-site investigation of the CTS has ended in failure. The CTS says it refuses to cooperate with investigators unless they explain if the probe is legitimate and why it's needed.