Bill Proposed to Establish 'Police Union'... Public Officials' Council Calls It 'An Unavoidable Demand of the Times'

[Financial News] A bill has been introduced that would allow police officers, who are currently prohibited from forming or joining labor unions, to join such organizations.
Shin Jang-sik, a member of the Rebuilding Korea Party, announced on the 20th that he had proposed the 'Act on the Establishment and Operation of Labor Unions for Police Officers.'
Currently, police officers are not permitted to form or join labor unions and may only join workplace councils under the Act on the Establishment and Operation of Public Officials' Workplace Councils. However, these councils are limited to discussing improvements in working conditions and general grievances, which has led to ongoing criticism that they do not adequately protect labor rights. The proposed legislation aims to allow police officers to form and join labor unions, thereby contributing to the advancement of public safety administration.
The bill centers on allowing full-time union officials and granting union representatives the authority to negotiate with the government on members’ wages, working conditions, and welfare, and to conclude collective agreements. However, considering the unique status of police officers and public acceptance, the bill prohibits industrial action.
In response, the Police Public Officials' Council held a press conference at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea on the morning of the same day and expressed their full support for the bill.
The Police Public Officials' Council stated, 'Workplace councils are limited to discussing improvements in working conditions or general grievances and clearly lack the authority to negotiate substantive employment terms. As uniformed workers, police officers have been forced to remain silent in the face of poor treatment and unfair working environments due to the absence of the right to organize and bargain collectively, rights they should rightfully enjoy.'
They continued, 'The lack of a channel for collective voices beyond individual grievances leads not only to personal burnout but also to a decline in morale across the organization, ultimately undermining the quality of public safety services provided to citizens. This bill will play a decisive role in correcting these injustices and improving poor working conditions by guaranteeing labor rights equivalent to those of general public officials.'
They emphasized, 'Allowing police officers to form and join labor unions is an unavoidable demand of the times. We earnestly hope that, based on the belief that the welfare of police officers is directly linked to public safety, the bill will pass the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and be realized.'
[email protected] Jang Yoo-ha Reporter