[Exclusive] Hyundai Steel Withdraws Lawsuit Against Non-Regular Workers... First Case Under Lee Government

[Financial News] It has been confirmed that Hyundai Steel has withdrawn a 4.6 billion won damage compensation lawsuit filed in 2021 against the Hyundai Steel Non-Regular Workers' Branch of the Metal Workers' Union Chungnam Branch. This is the first case since the Lee Jae-myung government took office. Previously, the Democratic Party requested Hyundai Steel to withdraw the damage compensation lawsuit filed against past striking workers, which is analyzed to have been accepted.
According to a comprehensive report by Financial News on the 13th, Hyundai Steel withdrew the 4.61 billion won damage compensation lawsuit filed against the Hyundai Steel Non-Regular Workers' Branch on this day.
The Hyundai Steel Non-Regular Workers' Branch stated through an internal notice, "In the context of promoting the revision of Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act (Yellow Envelope Act), the branch met with Democratic Party lawmakers to raise the issue of illegal dispatch and the unfairness of the lawsuit, and responded to the national audit, which is considered the result," and added, "This withdrawal is an achievement gained through the power of the union and solidarity." They further added, "This lawsuit was a means for Hyundai Steel to evade responsibility for illegal dispatch."
What remains now is the 20 billion won lawsuit that Hyundai Steel filed around the same time. This lawsuit was filed by the company against 180 workers of the Hyundai Steel Non-Regular Workers' Branch who occupied the control center within the Dangjin Steelworks in 2021. Last June, the Incheon District Court recognized only 590 million won of the 20 billion won damage compensation amount in the first trial, after which the union appealed, and the second trial is ongoing. The lawsuit that Hyundai Steel withdrew was the first lawsuit claiming 4.61 billion won against 461 non-regular workers.
The Hyundai Steel Non-Regular Workers' Branch stated, "We will provide additional notice on the 20 billion won damage compensation lawsuit as soon as the details are confirmed."
This action by Hyundai Steel came after the Democratic Party recently requested the withdrawal of damage compensation lawsuits against non-regular subcontracted workers.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party also requested Hyundai Motor to withdraw the damage compensation lawsuits against non-regular subcontracted workers, which are currently in trial. The Hyundai Motor Non-Regular Workers' Branch of the Korean Metal Workers' Union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, occupied Ulsan Plant 3 in 2010 and 2013, demanding the conversion of all subcontracted union workers to regular positions. Currently, there are three Hyundai Motor damage compensation cases in litigation. moving@fnnews.com Lee Dong-hyuk, Kwon Jun-ho reporters