Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 94마605

Application for Injunction Confirming Invalidity and Suspending Effect of Wage Agreement임금협약무효확인및효력정지가처분

Decided1995. 03. 10. Court대법원Employer won
AI-generated English translation (summary, key points, decision summary and full text) for reference only — not an official translation and without legal effect. The Korean original below is authoritative.
AI Easy read — AI summary of this decision
AI-generated summary for reference only — the Korean original below is authoritative.

Union members sought a court declaration that a wage agreement (임금협약) was invalid, arguing that the union chairman had signed it unilaterally, disregarding the opinions of other negotiating committee members. The Supreme Court ruled that the chairman had the authority to negotiate and conclude the agreement under the union's bylaws, and that an agreement signed with a fingerprint stamp instead of a formal seal was still valid. Since the agreement's term had already expired, there was no remaining need for an injunction suspending its effect, so the union's application was dismissed.

Key takeaways
  • CaseThe union chairman unilaterally signed a wage agreement without consulting other negotiating committee members, prompting union members to seek a court declaration that the agreement was invalid.
  • OutcomeThe Supreme Court ruled that since the union's bylaws granted the chairman bargaining authority, his unilateral signing of the agreement was valid, and that an agreement signed with a fingerprint stamp also had legal effect.
  • LessonUnion bylaws should clearly define the scope of the chairman's bargaining authority, and internal decision-making procedures should be agreed upon in advance before signing important agreements.
Issues
  • The scope and limits of a union representative's bargaining authority under the Trade Union Act
  • The legal validity of a collective agreement signed with a fingerprint stamp instead of a signature and seal
  • The requirements for granting a provisional injunction establishing a temporary legal status
Key reasoning

Under Article 33 of the former Trade Union Act (노동조합법), the 'authority to negotiate' granted to a union representative includes not only the power to conduct collective bargaining but also the power to conclude the resulting collective agreement. Where a union's internal bylaws (조합 규약) grant the chairman this negotiating authority, an agreement signed solely by the chairman—without separate approval from other bargaining committee members—is legally valid. The Court also held that using a fingerprint stamp (서명무인) instead of a signature and seal does not invalidate the agreement, since this method still fulfills the purpose of verifying the authenticity and clarity of the party's consent. Because the agreement's validity period had already lapsed by the time of the ruling, there was no practical necessity to grant a provisional injunction suspending its effect.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

가. “Authority to bargain” under the main text of Article 33(1) of the Trade Union Act (노동조합법) includes, in addition to collective bargaining as an act of fact, the authority to conclude a collective agreement in accordance with the results of such bargaining.

나. The purpose of Article 34(1) of the Trade Union Act (노동조합법), which provides that a collective agreement shall be reduced to writing and signed and sealed by both parties, is to secure the authenticity and clarity of the collective agreement by clarifying the parties to the agreement and confirming the final intent of the parties, in consideration of the fact that the labor-management relationship regulated by the collective agreement is collective and continuous in nature. Even if a signature and thumbprint were affixed to the collective agreement instead of a signature and seal, this cannot be deemed to render the agreement invalid.

다. A provisional disposition fixing a provisional status is intended to grant the applicant, on a provisional basis, the status of a right holder before the right is finally determined, for the purpose of preventing a present danger of significant damage or imminent duress arising in connection with a disputed legal relationship; the existence of a disputed legal relationship is a requisite element thereof.

Full text (English, AI translation) 7,555 chars

[Appellant (Petitioner)] Hyundai Precision Industries Co., Ltd. Labor Union and 5 others
Litigation Counsel for the Appellants: Attorney Yoon In-seop

[Lower Court Decision] Busan High Court Decision 93Ra30 dated February 28, 1994

[Order]

All of the special appeals are dismissed.

[Reasoning]

The grounds for special appeal are examined.

1. Judgment on Ground 1

The petitioners stated at the first hearing date of the first instance (June 13, 1993) that they did not dispute the fact that Non-party 1 affixed his signature and fingerprint to the wage agreement (effective from June 1, 1993 to May 31, 1994). Moreover, in light of the entries in Evidence No. 4 submitted by the respondent and the statement of reference witness Non-party 2, the statement of Non-party 3 alone is insufficient to establish that the said wage agreement was forged, and there is no other prima facie evidence to establish this. Furthermore, according to the record, the said Non-party 1, as the representative of the petitioner union, continued negotiations with the respondent company regarding the wage agreement, and since the resulting wage agreement also indicates and records him as the representative of the petitioner union in the designation of the parties to the agreement, the said wage agreement must be viewed as having been executed by the said Non-party 1 not in his individual capacity but in his capacity as the representative of the petitioner union. Even if the court below found that negotiations broke down on June 4, 1993, and yet also found that there was a wage agreement dated the same day, this is merely a statement to the effect that, although negotiations had once broken down, an agreement came into existence in outward form, and setting aside the question of whether that agreement is valid or invalid, this cannot be regarded as a contradiction in reasoning. Accordingly, the decision of the court below, which judged to the same effect, is acceptable, and it cannot be said that there is an error of misapprehension of facts or contradiction in reasoning as argued. Therefore, this ground is without merit.

2. Judgment on Ground 2

The main text of Article 33, Paragraph 1 of the Trade Union Act (노동조합법) provides that "the representative of a trade union or a person delegated by the trade union has the authority to negotiate with the employer or employer's association on behalf of the trade union or its members regarding matters such as the conclusion of a collective agreement." The "authority to negotiate" under this provision includes, in addition to the factual act of collective bargaining, the authority to conclude a collective agreement based on the results of the negotiation (see this Court's en banc Decision 91Nu12257 dated April 27, 1993). First, as to who holds the authority to negotiate the collective agreement in this case, absent special circumstances, the party with negotiating authority under the Trade Union Act is interpreted to be only the representative of the trade union. Furthermore, according to the record, under the petitioner union's bylaws (as amended on December 8, 1992, and in effect at the time the wage agreement was concluded, record pp. 252-263), the trade union is the party to collective bargaining and the chairperson is in charge of negotiations (Article 60); the collective bargaining committee members are recommended and elected at the delegates' assembly and shall number five or more including the chairperson (Article 61); and the authority to negotiate the collective agreement belongs to the chairperson, and all bargaining committee members shall jointly sign after resolution by the delegates' assembly (Article 63). Thus, the bylaws provide only for the negotiating authority of the chairperson and contain no provision whatsoever regarding the negotiating authority of the bargaining committee members. In light of the foregoing, the party with negotiating authority on the side of the petitioner union must be limited to the said Non-party 1, the chairperson of the petitioner union, alone, and the remaining bargaining committee members must be regarded merely as persons who factually assist the said Non-party 1 in exercising the above authority. Therefore, even if the said Non-party 1 unilaterally concluded the negotiations, disregarding the opinions of the remaining bargaining committee members, and alone executed the said wage agreement, this may raise a separate question of the said Non-party 1's criminal liability and liability under the union bylaws, but it cannot be said that the wage agreement thereby becomes invalid. Furthermore, the purpose of the Trade Union Act's provision requiring that a collective agreement be reduced to writing and signed and sealed by both parties is to clarify the parties to the agreement and to confirm the final intent of the parties, thereby ensuring the authenticity and clarity of the collective agreement, in consideration of the fact that the labor relations governed by a collective agreement are collective and continuous in nature. Even if a signature and fingerprint were affixed in lieu of a signature and seal on the collective agreement, this cannot be deemed to render it invalid. Accordingly, the decision of the court below, which judged to this effect and found that there was no right to be preserved in this case, is justified and acceptable, and it cannot be said that there is an error of misapprehension of the law regarding the authority to negotiate and conclude a collective agreement, or an error of misapprehension of the law regarding the representation in collective bargaining and the form of a collective agreement, as argued. Therefore, this ground is without merit.

3. Judgment on Ground 3

This case seeks to suspend the effect of the wage agreement concluded between the respondent and the petitioner union as of June 4, 1993, and by its nature constitutes a provisional disposition to determine a provisional status. Such a provisional disposition to determine a provisional status is intended to temporarily confer upon the petitioner the status of a rights-holder before the rights are finally determined, for the purpose of preventing a present danger of significant harm or imminent compulsion arising in connection with a disputed legal relationship, and requires, as a conceptual element, the existence of a disputed legal relationship. However, the said collective agreement, whose effect the petitioners seek to temporarily suspend, is one whose effect arises only until May 31, 1994 (or, even assuming no new collective agreement is concluded, until August 31 of the same year). Since the said collective agreement has already lost its effect, it cannot be deemed that the above requirement has been satisfied, and moreover, there can be no said necessity for preservation to suspend its effect. Accordingly, the decision of the court below, which judged to the same effect, is justified and acceptable, and it cannot be said that there is an error of misapprehension of the law regarding the necessity for preservation, as argued. Therefore, this ground is also without merit.

Accordingly, the decision of the court below dismissing the petition for provisional disposition in this case is justified, and it is so decided as set forth in the Order by the unanimous opinion of the participating Justices, dismissing all of the special appeals.

Supreme Court Justice Kim Seok-su (Presiding Justice)
Justice Jeong Gwi-ho
Justice Lee Don-hee (Justice in Charge)
Justice Lee Im-su

【판결요지】

가. 노동조합법 제33조 제1항 본문의 규정에 기한 “교섭할 권한”이라 함은 사실행위로서의 단체교섭 외에 교섭한 결과에 따라 단체협약을 체결할 권한을 포함한다.

나. 단체협약을 문서화하고 당사자 쌍방의 서명날인을 하도록 규정한 노동조합법 제34조 제1항의 취지가 단체협약이 규율대상으로 하고 있는 노사관계가 집단적·계속적이라는 점을 고려하여 체결당사자를 명백히 함과 동시에 당사자의 최종적인 의사를 확인함으로써 단체협약의 진정성과 명확성을 담보하려는 것으로서, 그 단체협약에 대한 서명날인 대신 서명무인을 하였다 하더라도 이를 무효로 볼 수는 없다.

다. 임시의 지위를 정하는 가처분은 쟁의 있는 권리관계에 관하여 현저한 손해 또는 급박한 강포가 발생하고 있는 현재의 위험을 방지할 것을 목적으로 하여 권리확정이 이루어지기 전에 임시로 신청인에게 권리자의 지위를 주려는 것으로서, 그 개념 요소로서 다툼있는 권리관계의 존재를 그 요건으로 한다.

【참조조문】

가. 노동조합법 제33조 제1항 / 나. 노동조합법 제34조 제1항 / 다. 민사소송법 제714조 제2항

【참조판례】

가. 대법원 1993. 4. 27. 선고 91누12257 전원합의체 판결(공1993상,1579), 1993. 5. 11. 선고 91누10787 판결(공1993하,1716) / 다. 대법원 1981. 1. 13. 선고 80다1334 판결(공1981,13580), 1991. 4. 30. 자 90마851 결정(공1991,1597), 1993. 2. 12. 선고 92다40563 판결(공1993상,971)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 2,751자 · 펼쳐 보기

【재항고인(신청인)】 현대정공주식회사 노동조합 외 5인 재항고인들 소송대리인 변호사 윤인섭

【원심결정】 부산고등법원 1994. 2. 28. 자 93라30 결정

【주 문】

재항고를 모두 기각한다.

【이 유】 재항고이유를 본다.

1. 제1점에 관한 판단

신청인들이 제1심 1차 심문기일(1993.6.13.)에서 신청외 1이 임금협약서(1993.6.1.부터 1994.5.31.까지 유효한 것)에 서명무인한 부분은 다투지 않는다고 진술하고 있을 뿐만 아니라 소 을 제4호증의 기재나 참고인 신청외 2의 진술에 비추어 신청외 3의 진술만으로는 위 임금협약서가 위조되었다는 점을 인정하기에 미흡하고, 그 밖에 달리 이를 인정할 아무런 소명자료가 없으며, 또한 기록에 의하면 위 신청외 1이 신청인조합의 대표자로서 피신청인회사와 임금협약에 관한 교섭을 계속하여 왔고, 그 결과 작성된 위 임금협약서의 협약당사자의 표시에도 신청인조합의 대표자로 표시, 기재되어 있는 이상 위 임금협약서는 위 신청외 1이 개인자격에서가 아니라 신청인조합의 대표자 자격에서 작성한 것으로 보아야 할 것이고, 원심이 1993.6.4.자 교섭이 결렬되었다고 인정한 다음 같은 날짜 임금협약이 있다는 취지로 인정하였다 하더라도 이는 일단 교섭이 결렬되었다가 외형상 협약의 존재가 있어 그 협약이 있다는 취지로 설시한 것이어서 그 협약의 유·무효는 별론으로 하고, 이를 일컬어 이유모순이라고 볼 수는 없으니 같은 취지로 판단한 원심의 결정은 수긍이 가고, 거기에 소론과 같은 사실오인이나 이유모순의 위법이 있다고 볼 수 없으므로 논지는 이유 없다.

2. 제2점에 대한 판단

노동조합법 제33조 제1항 본문은 “노동조합의 대표자 또는 노동조합으로부터 위임을 받은 자는 그 노동조합 또는 조합원을 위하여 사용자나 사용자단체와 단체협약의 체결 기타의 사항에 관하여 교섭할 권한이 있다”고 규정하고 있으며, 위 규정에 기한 “교섭할 권한”이라 함은 사실행위로서의 단체교섭 외에 교섭한 결과에 따라 단체협약을 체결할 권한을 포함한다 할 것이므로(당원 1993.4.27. 선고 91누12257 전원합의체 판결 참조), 먼저 이 사건에 있어서 위 단체협약의 교섭권자가 누구인지에 관하여 보건대 특별한 사정이 없는 한 노동조합법상의 교섭권자는 노동조합의 대표자만으로 해석되는데다가, 기록에 의하면 신청인 조합의 규약(1992.12.8. 개정되어 위 임금협약 체결시 시행되던 것, 기록 252 내지 263면)상 노동조합이 단체교섭의 당사자이며 위원장이 교섭을 담당하고(제60조), 단체교섭위원은 대의원대회에서 추천 및 선출하되 위원장을 포함하여 5명 이상으로 하며(제61조), 단체협약의 교섭권은 위원장에게 있고 대의원대회의 의결을 거쳐 교섭위원 전원이 연대서명한다고(제63조) 각 규정되어 있는 등 위원장의 교섭권에 대해서만 규정하고, 교섭위원의 교섭권에 대해서는 전혀 규정하고 있지 않는 점등에 비추어 결국 신청인 노동조합측의 교섭권자는 신청인 조합의 위원장인 위 신청외 1 1인으로 한정된다 할 것이고, 그 나머지 교섭위원들은 위 신청외 1의 위 권한행위를 사실상 보좌하는 자들에 지나지 않는다고 보아야 할 것이므로, 위 신청외 1이 나머지 교섭위원들의 의견을 무시한 채 독단적으로 교섭을 타결시킨 다음 혼자서 위 임금협약을 체결하였다 하더라도 그로써 위 신청외 1이 형사상 및 조합규약상의 책임을 지는 것은 별론으로 하고, 위 임금협약이 무효로 된다고는 할 수 없고, 위와 같이 단체협약을 문서화하고 당사자 쌍방의 서명날인을 하도록 규정한 위 노동조합법의 취지가 단체협약이 규율대상으로 하고 있는 노사관계가 집단적, 계속적이라는 점을 고려하여 체결당사자를 명백히 함과 동시에 당사자의 최종적인 의사를 확인함으로써 단체협약의 진정성과 명확성을 담보하려는 것으로서, 그 단체협약에 대한 서명날인 대신 서명무인을 하였다 하더라도 이를 무효로 볼 수는 없다고 할 것인바, 이와 같은 취지로 판단하여 이 사건 피보전권리가 없다고 본 원심의 결정은 정당한 것으로 수긍이 가고, 거기에 소론과 같은 단체협약의 교섭권한 및 체결에 관한 법리오해나 단체교섭의 대표 및 단체협약의 방식에 관한 법리를 오해한 위법이 있다고 볼 수 없으므로, 논지는 이유 없다.

3. 제3점에 대한 판단

이 사건은 1993.6.4.자로 피신청인과 신청인 조합 사이에 체결된 임금협약의 효력정지를 구하는 것으로서, 성질상 임시의 지위를 정하는 가처분이라 할 것인데 위와 같은 임시의 지위를 정하는 가처분은 쟁의있는 권리관계에 관하여 현저한 손해 또는 급박한 강포가 발생하고 있는 현재의 위험을 방지할 것을 목적으로 하여 권리확정이 이루어지기 전에 임시로 신청인에게 권리자의 지위를 주려는 것으로서, 그 개념 요소로서 다툼있는 권리관계의 존재를 그 요건으로 한다 할 것인바, 신청인들이 임시로 그 효력을 정지하고자 하는 위 단체협약은 1994.5.31.(가사 새로운 단체협약이 체결되지 않은 경우라도 같은 해 8.31.)까지만 효력을 발생하는 것으로서, 그 단체협약이 이미 효력이 상실된 이상 위 요건을 갖추었다고 볼 수도 없을 뿐만 아니라, 그 효력을 정지할 보전의 필요성도 없다고 보아야 할 것이므로 같은 취지로 판단한 원심의 결정은 정당한 것으로 수긍이 가고, 거기에 소론과 같은 보전의 필요성에 관한 법리를 오해한 위법이 있다고 볼 수 없으므로 논지도 이유 없다.

그렇다면 이 사건 가처분신청을 기각한 원심의 결정은 정당하므로, 재항고를 모두 기각하기로 하여 관여 법관의 일치된 의견으로 주문과 같이 결정한다.

대법관 김석수(재판장) 정귀호 이돈희(주심) 이임수

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