Members of the joint struggle headquarters of the Samsung Electronics labor union are shouting slogans at the 'April 23 Struggle Rally' held in front of the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus in Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province. [Photo=Yonhap News]

Amidst escalating conflicts surrounding Samsung Electronics' threatened performance bonus strike and the Cargo Workers' Solidarity's logistics center accidents, the Minister of Employment and Labor, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), and the leadership of the Samsung Union have been collectively reported to the police.

The civic group, People's Livelihood Countermeasure Committee (Secretary-General Kim Soon-hwan), announced on the 28th that it had filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon, citing abuse of power and other charges.

The People's Livelihood Committee stated that the reason for the complaint was that Minister Kim abandoned his role as a fair mediator in the labor-management conflict and displayed a biased attitude by representing the interests of a specific labor union. Specifically, it pointed out that the failure to fulfill management and supervision responsibilities concerning the logistics center accident was an act that harmed the national economy.

Regarding the Cargo Workers' Solidarity accident, unidentified union members who rammed their vehicles into police barricades while entering the logistics center, injuring police officers, were reported for special obstruction of justice and obstruction of business.

The People's Livelihood Committee indicated that following the death at the logistics center, the Cargo Workers' Solidarity continued to press for strong demands by emphasizing the responsibility of the prime contractor, which led to delays in negotiations and intensified conflict.

Furthermore, it argued that these series of actions ultimately led to violent situations, resulting in the death of a union member and injury to police officers, and that charges of intimidation and obstruction of business should also be applied.

In addition, the People's Livelihood Committee also filed complaints against the leadership of the Samsung Electronics Union, including Park Jae-sung, chairman of the inter-company union's Sangsaeng Branch; Choi Seung-ho, chairman of the inter-company union's Samsung Electronics Branch; and unidentified members of the Samsung Electronics Labor Union Joint Struggle Headquarters, for charges such as obstruction of business, intimidation, and insult.

Regarding the reasons for the complaints against the Samsung Electronics Union, the committee asserted, "The immoral and unethical acts stemming from the irresponsible and irrational judgments of the accused not only hinder economic development but can also damage the self-esteem of the majority of diligent workers." It added, "Concerns are also being raised that prolonged national shame could weaken trust in liberal democracy and the rule of law."

According to the complaint, despite the Supreme Court ruling that OPI does not constitute average wages for the calculation of severance pay, Chairman Park and Chairman Choi led a strike demanding changes to the performance bonus distribution criteria and the payment of performance bonuses equivalent to 15% of operating profit. The People's Livelihood Committee specified that these demands and collective actions constitute obstruction of business and intimidation against Samsung Electronics.

For the unidentified members of the Samsung Electronics Labor Union Joint Struggle Headquarters, it was argued that their actions of occupying roads and staging large-scale protests at the Pyeongtaek Campus rally, disrupting logistics and vehicle movement, constituted obstruction of business.

Furthermore, it was argued that at the same rally, defacing photos of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman Jeon Young-hyun, and President Noh Tae-moon and writing mocking phrases, then leading participants to step on them, constitutes an insult to the company's management.

Meanwhile, the Samsung Electronics Union held a rally in front of the Pyeongtaek site on the 23rd, announcing a general strike with demands such as the payment of performance bonuses equivalent to 15% of operating profit and the abolition of the performance bonus cap. Approximately 40,000 members of the inter-company union participated in the rally, estimated to be 30-40% of the total union membership.

People's Livelihood Committee Donation Account: Post Office 010108-01-014472

Account Holder: People's Livelihood Countermeasure Committee

Reporter Im Yo-hee