Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 92다29429

Confirmation of Invalidity of Disciplinary Action, etc.징계무효확인등

Decided1993. 03. 09. Court대법원Worker (union member) 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.

In a case where a labor union expelled a member through disciplinary action, the Korean Supreme Court ruled that even if the member received severance pay (퇴직금), this does not mean the member accepted the validity of the disciplinary action, as long as the member continued to raise objections. Since disciplinary actions taken by a labor union against its own members are not considered unfair labor practices (부당노동행위) by an employer, they cannot be challenged through the administrative remedy procedure (구제절차) and must instead be disputed through a civil lawsuit. Because the plaintiff continued to prepare legal challenges even after receiving severance pay, the plaintiff was entitled to claim that the expulsion was invalid.

Key takeaways
  • CaseA labor union expelled one of its members through disciplinary action, and the member later sought confirmation that the expulsion was invalid, even after having received severance pay (퇴직금).
  • OutcomeThe court held that receiving severance pay did not amount to accepting the validity of the disciplinary action, since the member had continuously objected to the expulsion.
  • LessonIf you receive disciplinary action from your labor union, clearly state your objection and pursue a civil lawsuit to challenge it—even if you accept severance pay or other benefits in the meantime.
Issues
  • Whether a labor union's disciplinary expulsion of its own member is subject to the unfair labor practice remedy procedure (부당노동행위 구제절차)
  • Whether receiving severance pay after expulsion can be interpreted as the member's acceptance of the disciplinary action's validity
Key reasoning

A labor union's disciplinary action against its own member is an internal union matter, not an unfair labor practice committed by an employer, so it falls outside the scope of the administrative remedy procedure under labor law and must be resolved through civil litigation instead. Receiving severance pay does not automatically mean the worker accepted the disciplinary action as valid. Even without an explicit written reservation of objection at the time of receiving severance pay, if there are objective circumstances showing the worker continuously disputed the disciplinary action (such as preparing for or pursuing litigation), the court cannot conclude that the worker acknowledged the action's validity by accepting the payment.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

a. The procedures for a worker's application for remedy against an unfair labor practice, the reexamination ruling, and the administrative litigation under Article 27-3 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) and Articles 40 through 43 of the Trade Union Act (노동조합법) are all limited to remedial procedures against an unfair labor practice committed by an employer against a worker, and do not signify a remedial procedure against disciplinary action taken by a labor union, which does not constitute an employer, against its union member.

b. Where a union member who was disciplined by expulsion from a labor union receives retirement pay, etc. without raising any reservation of objection or condition, it is reasonable to view, absent special circumstances, that the member thereby acknowledged the disciplinary action as valid; however, even in such a case, if there exist objective circumstances indicating that the member was contesting the effect of the disciplinary action without acknowledging it, or if there exist contrary circumstances suggesting that the payment was received under circumstances where there was a reasonable cause other than the foregoing, then it should not be uniformly held that the effect of the disciplinary expulsion was acknowledged merely because the retirement pay, etc. was received without an express reservation of objection.

c. A case holding that, in light of the overall circumstances from the time a union member received the retirement allowance fund after being disciplined by expulsion from the labor union until the filing of the lawsuit seeking confirmation of invalidity of the disciplinary action, it could not be found that the member had abandoned his intent to contest the effect of the disciplinary action at the time of receiving the retirement pay.

Full text (English, AI translation) 5,171 chars

[Plaintiff, Respondent] Plaintiff's Litigation Attorney Kim Seung-seok
[Defendant, Appellant] Jeju Do Port Transport Workers' Union of the Korean Federation of Port Transport Workers' Unions (전국항운노동조합연맹제주도항운노동조합), Litigation Attorney Hyun Young-du
[Lower Court Judgment] Jeju District Court, June 18, 1992, Case No. 91Na773

[Order]

The appeal is dismissed.
The costs of the appeal shall be borne by the Defendant.

[Reasoning]

The grounds of appeal are examined.

1. As to Ground No. 1

The remedy through administrative litigation asserted by the Defendant refers to the procedure whereby, pursuant to Article 27-3 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) and Articles 40 through 43 of the Trade Union Act (노동조합법), a worker who has suffered an unfair labor practice files an application for remedy with the Regional Labor Relations Commission, and if dissatisfied with its determination, sequentially files an application for reexamination with the National Labor Relations Commission, and a party dissatisfied with the reexamination ruling of the National Labor Relations Commission then institutes administrative litigation. This procedure is limited solely to remedies for unfair labor practices committed by an employer against a worker, and does not refer to a remedy procedure for disciplinary action against a union member by a labor union, which is not an employer, as in the present case.

Therefore, the Plaintiff's filing of this suit as a civil action for confirmation was lawful, and there is no error of misapprehension of the legal principles concerning the court's adjudicative jurisdiction as argued in the grounds of appeal. This ground of appeal is without merit.

2. As to Ground No. 2

Where a union member who has been disciplined by expulsion from the union receives retirement pay, etc. from the union without raising any reservation of objection or condition, it is generally reasonable to view that the member thereby acknowledged the disciplinary action as valid, absent special circumstances. However, even in such a case, if there exist objective circumstances indicating that the member was contesting the disciplinary action without acknowledging its validity, or if there are other circumstances suggesting the contrary—such as receiving the payment under circumstances where there was a reasonable basis for doing so apart from acknowledging validity—then it should not be uniformly concluded that the validity of the expulsion disciplinary action was acknowledged merely because the retirement pay, etc. was received without an explicit reservation of objection (see Supreme Court Decision 90Nu4952, delivered January 25, 1991; Supreme Court Decision 91Da2663, delivered May 14, 1991; Supreme Court Decision 92Da1728, delivered April 14, 1992).

As lawfully found by the court below, after the Plaintiff was subjected to the disciplinary action of expulsion by the Defendant union on July 26, 1989, the Plaintiff applied to the Defendant union's Union Members' Retirement Reserve Fund Management Committee for retirement reserve funds on August 26 of the same year, and received the retirement reserve funds from the said Committee on August 30 of the same year; the Plaintiff also applied for retirement rice allowance to the △△ Association of the ○○ Liaison Office under the Defendant union on August 28 of the same year, and received the retirement rice allowance on August 30 of the same year, and on the same day also received back the construction fund from the ○○ Liaison Office. However, after receiving this disciplinary action, the Plaintiff objected thereto and filed an application for reexamination of the disciplinary action with the Defendant union on July 29 of the same year, thereby contesting it; when that application was rejected on August 23 of the same year, the Plaintiff received the retirement reserve funds, etc. at issue in this case for the purpose of covering living expenses; and on September 5 of the same year, the Plaintiff retained the late non-party attorney to file the instant lawsuit, but the said attorney delayed doing so due to personal circumstances including illness, ultimately filing the instant suit on October 13 of the same year. In light of all these circumstances at the time the Plaintiff received the retirement reserve funds, etc. and up until the filing of the instant suit thereafter, it cannot be said that the Plaintiff, at the time of receiving the retirement pay, acknowledged the said disciplinary action as valid and thereby abandoned the intention to contest its validity.

The judgment of the court below, being to the same effect, is justified and acceptable, and there is no error of misapprehension of the legal principles concerning the principle of good faith as argued in the grounds of appeal. This ground of appeal is without merit.

3. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed, and the costs of the appeal are to be borne by the losing party. This judgment is rendered as set forth in the Order by the unanimous opinion of the participating Justices.

Presiding Justice Choi Jae-ho
Justice Yoon Kwan
Justice Kim Ju-han (Presiding Judge for the Report)
Justice Kim Yong-jun

【판결요지】

가. 근로기준법 제27조의3, 노동조합법 제40조 내지 제43조에 따른 근로자의 부당노동행위에 대한 구제신청, 재심판정, 행정소송의 절차는 모두 사용자의 근로자에 대한 부당노동행위에 대한 구제절차에 한정되어 있고, 사용자에 해당하지 아니하는 노동조합의 조합원에 대한 징계에 대한 구제절차를 의미하지 아니한다.

나. 노동조합으로부터 제명징계된 조합원이 퇴직금 등을 수령하면서 아무런 이의의 유보나 조건을 제기하지 아니하였다면 특별한 사정이 없는 한 징계를 유효한 것으로 인정하였다고 보는 것이 상당하다 할 것이나 이러한 경우라도 징계의 효력을 인정하지 아니하고 이를 다투고 있었다고 볼 수 있는 객관적인 사정이 있다거나 그 이외에 상당한 이유가 있는 상황하에서 이를 수령하는 등 반대의 사정이 있음이 엿보이는 때에는 명시적인 이의를 유보함이 없이 퇴직금 등을 수령한 경우라고 하여도 일률적으로 제명징계의 효력을 인정하였다고 보아서는 안된다.

다. 조합원이 노동조합으로부터 제명의 징계를 받은 후 퇴직충당금을 수령하였으나 그 이후 징계무효확인의 소를 제기할 때까지의 제반 사정 등에 비추어 퇴직금수령시에 징계처분의 효력을 다툴 의사를 포기하였다고 볼 수 없다 한 사례.

【참조조문】

가.나.다. 민사소송법 제226조[소의제기] / 가. 근로기준법 제27조의3, 노동조합법 제40조 내지 제43조 / 나.다. 민법 제2조, 근로기준법 제27조

【참조판례】

나. 대법원 1991. 1. 25. 선고 90누4952 판결(공1991,878), 1991. 5. 14. 선고 91다2663 판결(공1991,1629), 1992. 4. 14. 선고 92다1728 판결(공1992,1596)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 1,715자 · 펼쳐 보기

【원고, 피상고인】 원고 소송대리인 변호사 김승석

【피고, 상고인】 전국항운노동조합연맹제주도항운노동조합 소송대리인 변호사 현영두

【원심판결】 제주지방법원 1992. 6. 18. 선고 91나773 판결

【주 문】

상고를 기각한다.

상고비용은 피고의 부담으로 한다.

【이 유】 상고이유를 본다.

1. 제1점에 대하여

피고가 주장하는 행정소송에 의한 권리의 구제란 근로기준법 제27조의3, 노동조합법 제40조 내지 제43조에 따라 근로자가 부당노동행위에 대하여 지방노동위원회에 구제신청을, 그 결정에 불복하는 경우 중앙노동위원회에 재심신청을 순차로 하고 중앙노동위원회의 재심판정에 대하여 불복이 있는 당사자가 행정소송을 제기하는 것으로 모두 사용자의 근로자에 대한 부당노동행위에 대한 구제절차에 한정되어 있고 이 사건과 같이 사용자에 해당하지 아니하는 노동조합의 조합원에 대한 징계에 대한 구제절차를 의미하지 아니한다 할 것이다.

따라서 원고가 민사상의 소인 확인소송으로 이 사건 소를 제기한 것은 적법하고 거기에 소론과 같은 법원의 재판권에 관한 법리오해의 위법이 없다. 논지는 이유 없다.

2. 제2점에 대하여

노동조합으로 부터 제명징계된 조합원이 조합으로부터 퇴직금 등을 수령하면서 아무런 이의의 유보나 조건을 제기하지 아니하였다면 특별한 사정이 없는 한 징계를 유효한 것으로 인정하였다고 보는 것이 상당하다 할 것이나 이러한 경우라도 징계의 효력을 인정하지 아니하고 이를 다투고 있었다고 볼 수 있는 객관적인 사정이 있다거나 그 이외에 상당한 이유가 있는 상황하에서 이를 수령하는 등 반대의 사정이 있음이 엿보이는 때에는 명시적인 이의를 유보함이 없이 퇴직금 등을 수령한 경우라고 하여도 일률적으로 제명징계의 효력을 인정하였다고 보아서는 안될 것이다(대법원 1991.1.25. 선고 90누4952 판결; 1991.5.14. 선고 91다2663 판결; 1992.4.14. 선고 92다1728 판결 참조).

원심이 적법하게 확정한 바와 같이 원고가 1989.7.26. 피고 조합으로부터 제명의 징계를 받은 후 같은 해 8.26. 피고 조합의 조합원퇴직충당금관리위원회에 퇴직충당금을 청구하여 같은 달 30. 위 위원회로 부터 퇴직충당금을 지급받았고 같은 달 28. 피고조합산하의 ○○연락소△△회에 퇴직미를 청구하여 같은 달 30. 퇴직미를 지급받았고 같은 날 ○○연락소로부터 건축기금도 반환받았으나 원고는 이 사건 징계처분을 받은 이후 이에 불복하여 같은 해 7.29. 피고 조합에 징계재심신청을 하여 이를 다투었으며 같은 해 8.23. 그 신청이 기각되자 생활비 등에 충당할 목적으로 이 사건 퇴직충당금 등을 수령한 다음 같은 해 9.5. 이 사건 소송의 제기를 망 소외인 변호사에게 의뢰하였으나 위 변호사가 신병 등 개인적인 사정으로 이를 지체하다가 같은 해 10.13. 이 사건 소를 제기한 이상 위와 같은 원고의 퇴직충당금 등의 수령시 및 그 이후 이 사건 소의 제기시까지의 제반 사정에 비추어 보면 원고가 퇴직금수령시에 위 징계처분을 유효한 것으로 인정하여 그 효력을 다툴 의사를 포기하였다고 볼 수는 없다 할 것이다.

같은 취지의 원심판단은 정당하여 수긍이 되고 거기에 소론과 같은 신의칙위배에 관한 법리오해의 위법이 있다고 할 수 없다. 논지는 이유 없다.

3. 그러므로 상고를 기각하고 상고비용은 패소자의 부담으로 하기로 하여 관여 법관의 일치된 의견으로 주문과 같이 판결한다.

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