Naver Labor Union Pushes for Integrated Bargaining, Proclamation Ceremony Set for August 20

The labor union at Naver is picking up speed in its push for integrated bargaining encompassing its affiliates.

The Naver chapter of the Chemical, Textile and Food Workers Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) plans to hold a discussion session tomorrow (August 12) to explain the background behind the push for integrated bargaining and the union's stance.

Following this, a proclamation ceremony for integrated bargaining will be held on August 20 to reveal the joint bargaining agenda to be demanded of management, with plans to officially request the initiation of integrated bargaining from management by the end of this month.

Integrated bargaining is an approach where wage agreements, incentives, and work systems—which have previously been negotiated separately by the union branches of the headquarters and its affiliates—are discussed at a single table.

The core background driving the push for integrated bargaining is cited as the recently implemented revised Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, commonly known as the Yellow Envelope Act.

With the revised law expanding the scope of employers to "those in a position to substantially and concretely control working conditions," arguments that Naver headquarters bears direct responsibility for bargaining are gaining momentum.

Meanwhile, demands for direct bargaining, which were previously centered around certain sub-subsidiaries such as Studio Lico, have spread across major affiliates overall, including Naver Cloud, Naver Webtoon, Snow, Naver Z, and Kream.

The labor union at Naver Z, the operator of the metaverse platform Zepeto, recently passed a strike authorization vote among its members with a 98% approval rate.

This follows the Gyeonggi Regional Labor Relations Commission's decision to suspend mediation. If the union actually goes on strike, it will mark the first strike in the history of the Naver Group since its launch.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.