The National Assembly inspection pointed out the contents of the Ulsan Office of Education and the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union collective agreement… “Outside the scope of the law” (comprehensive)

(Ulsan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yong-tae = A government audit pointed out that the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education had agreed to provisions that were outside the scope set by the Teachers' Union Act during collective bargaining with the National Teachers and Education Workers' Union.

At the National Assembly Education Committee's audit of the Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongnam, Daegu, Gyeongbuk, and Gangwon offices of education held at the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education on the 20th, Rep. Jeong Seong-guk (People Power Party) mentioned the contents of the 2024 collective agreement between the Ulsan Office of Education and the Ulsan branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union and pointed out, "It goes beyond the scope set by the Teachers' Union Act and there are parts that can completely infringe on the authority of school principals."

Rep. Jeong said, "If you look at the Teachers' Union Act, it says that collective bargaining can only be done on issues related to improving economic and social status, such as wages, working conditions, and welfare," and added, "However, the Ulsan Office of Education included an unrelated clause in the collective agreement with the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union that states, 'Unless there are special reasons, the principal of the school shall be instructed to accept the decisions of the School Personnel Advisory Committee.'"

At the same time, he pointed out, “If this provision is added, the school personnel advisory committee becomes an organization higher than the school principal,” and “How can the personnel advisory committee bind the school principal?”

Rep. Jeong said, "Among the provisions, 'When forming a special education steering committee, the Office of Education may appoint one or more special teachers with the recommendation of the Ulsan branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union' and 'The school will be asked to implement the provisions and the results will be notified.'" He added, "If no agreement can be reached in collective bargaining on these matters, the structure will be such that the union inspects school work and the Office of Education guides the school based on the results, which is an infringement of authority."

In response, Ulsan Superintendent Cho Yong-sik responded, “I will review the criticism.”

The Ulsan branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union issued a statement saying, “Rep. Chung must not distort the legitimate rights of the union.”

The Ulsan branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union argued, "Rep. Jeong's remarks are problematic in that they view the union's legitimate bargaining rights and demands for collective agreement enforcement as being in conflict with the authority of the school principal. If there are differences of opinion on some provisions, it should be discussed based on legal grounds, not concluding that this is an infringement on the authority of the school principal and questioning the legitimate rights of the union."