First ministry union breaks from KCTU

The union at the Ministry of Environment yesterday decided to break away from the hardline Korean Confederation of Trade Unions as well as the Merged Public Workers` Union.

In a two-day vote that started on Wednesday, 821 out of a total 953 union members at the ministry participated and 83.3 percent of them voted in favor of the secession proposal. Including those currently on overseas business trips, assignments or maternity leave, the number of the ministry`s union members is 1,050, according to union officials.



"Respecting the opinion of union members, we will keep our political neutrality and step up efforts to improve the rights and welfare of our members," said a union official.

"If the union at the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries votes the same, the leaders of the two unions would consider forming an integrated union," he added.

As some public workers` unions at government offices started voting Tuesday on whether to withdraw from the two umbrella labor groups, the first vote results from the Environment Ministry, observers say, could trigger a domino effect in a series of votes scheduled through this weekend.

Including those at the Environment Ministry, an estimated 6,000 employees at the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the National Statistical Office are expected to take part in the votes.

Despite the government`s stern warning, the nation`s three civil service unions -- the Korean Government Employees` Union, the Korean Democracy Government Employees` Union and the Court Government Employees` Union -- decided to merge into a single entity with a membership of 7,200 and join the nation`s second-largest umbrella labor union on Sept. 22.

If they vote to break away, the merged public workers` union would be dealt a blow, losing nearly 83 percent of its total members.

(jylee@heraldm.com)





By Lee Ji-yoon