The Democratic Party of Korea has signed a policy agreement with the National Union of Delivery Workers to promote the 'Yellow Envelope Law (amendment of Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act).' This law, which focuses on strengthening workers' collective bargaining rights, has been discarded twice due to the exercise of President Yoon Suk-yeol's veto power, but Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, has pledged to push it again. Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party candidate, opposes it, saying it is 'a bad law that prevents compensation claims for illegal strikes.'
Representative Min Byeong-deok, chairperson of the Committee for Dealing with the Local Economy under the Democratic Party's Election Countermeasures Committee, held a 'Delivery Union Policy Agreement Ceremony' in the National Assembly on the 22nd.
Min said, “In the future, the Democratic Party will work with you in all circumstances to guarantee the practical labor rights of special employment delivery workers, process the Yellow Envelope Law, achieve a social agreement to resolve the overwork issue caused by 7-day delivery, relieve the employment burden on delivery workers, and mandate standard contracts and protect the health rights of delivery workers.”
The Yellow Envelope Law aims to strengthen the responsibility of primary contractors for subcontracted workers and limit corporations' damage claims against striking workers. It also includes provisions to expand the scope of union disputes and strengthen bargaining rights.
Earlier, on the 1st, Candidate Lee declared, “We will amend Articles 2 and 3 of the Union Act to strengthen bargaining rights and reduce the suffering caused by indiscriminate damage claims and injunctions.” In the first televised debate among candidates held on the 18th of this month, he also stated, “This bill is one that the Supreme Court has already recognized as necessary. The International Labour Organization also recognizes it,” adding, “The Yellow Envelope Law must obviously be enacted.”
The Yellow Envelope Law is a representative issue that sharply divides labor and management alongside 'extension of the legal retirement age.' The business community believes that if the implementation of the Yellow Envelope Law becomes a reality, it will expand the range of users and collapse the primary and subcontractor industrial ecosystem. There are also concerns that limiting damage claims for illegal dispute actions could encourage labor-management conflicts and illegal activities.
The Korea Enterprises Federation stated on the 14th, “The Yellow Envelope Law will significantly worsen labor-management relations, and the negative impact on our corporations and economy is very substantial,” adding, “To develop labor-management relations, it is more important to have legal systems to build a rational labor culture, such as prohibiting inspections at business sites, rather than granting amnesty for illegal actions.”
Meanwhile, the Parcel Delivery Union requested on June 3 to designate the presidential election day as 'a no-delivery day' to ensure voting rights. The Democratic Party is set to pressure Coupang to designate mandatory holidays through the Committee for Dealing with the Local Economy.
Kang Min-ho, the chairperson of the Parcel Delivery Union's Coupang Preparatory Committee, said, “If all delivery companies agree, we will immediately declare 'a no-delivery day.'” He noted, “There are reports that Coupang plans to announce extending delivery times slightly.” In response, Min said, “I will protest to Coupang again regarding the holiday status after the agreement ceremony.”