Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 95도2970

Obstruction of Business (업무방해) and Violation of the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act (노동쟁의조정법위반)업무방해·노동쟁의조정법위반

Decided1996. 02. 27. 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.

Workers collectively refused to perform overtime work that they had customarily done, and the Supreme Court held that while this collective refusal did constitute a labor dispute action (쟁의행위), it failed to meet the procedural requirements and exceeded the boundaries of legitimate labor action. As a result, the workers could not be exempted from criminal liability for obstruction of business (업무방해죄) and related offenses.

Key takeaways
  • CaseWorkers collectively stopped performing their usual overtime work as a form of labor protest.
  • OutcomeThe Supreme Court ruled that although this was a labor dispute action, it lacked legitimacy due to procedural violations and improper methods, making the workers criminally liable.
  • LessonEven legitimate labor demands must be pursued through lawful procedures and methods; skipping required steps can expose workers to criminal charges such as obstruction of business (업무방해죄).
Issues
  • Whether a collective refusal to perform overtime work constitutes a 'labor dispute action' (쟁의행위) under the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act (노동쟁의조정법)
  • What are the requirements for a labor dispute action to be deemed 'legitimate' (정당성), and to what extent legitimacy exempts workers from criminal liability
Key reasoning

The Court first confirmed that a collective refusal to perform habitual overtime work qualifies as a 'labor dispute action' (쟁의행위) under Korean labor law. However, for such action to be recognized as lawful and thus exempt from criminal liability, its purpose, timing/procedure, and methods must all satisfy legal requirements of legitimacy. In this case, the workers failed to follow the statutory timing and procedural requirements (e.g., proper notice or mediation procedures) before initiating the action. Additionally, some of the methods used during the action went beyond what is permissible under the legitimacy standard for labor disputes. Because the action violated both procedural rules and exceeded the scope of legitimate conduct, the Court ruled that criminal liability could not be waived.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

[1] Even if extended work (overtime) is performed based on the agreement of the parties, if a person incites workers to collectively refuse the overtime work that they have customarily performed, thereby obstructing the normal operation of the company's business, this must be regarded as an act of industrial dispute (쟁의행위).

[2] An act of industrial dispute includes not only a worker's passive refusal or suspension of the provision of labor, but also active conduct that impedes the normal operation of business in order to achieve the worker's demands; therefore, by the very nature of an act of industrial dispute, it is inevitable that the employer's normal business operations may be impeded to some extent, and the employer bears a duty to tolerate this. However, where such a worker's act of industrial dispute exceeds the limits of legitimacy, the worker cannot be exempted from criminal liability, such as for the crime of obstruction of business. The requirements for legitimacy that exempt a person from criminal liability are as follows: the purpose of the act of industrial dispute must be legitimate, in that it is conducted in connection with collective bargaining for the purpose of maintaining or improving working conditions, etc.; the timing and procedures of the act of industrial dispute must be legitimate, in accordance with the provisions of statutes; and the methods and manner of the act of industrial dispute must fall within a legitimate scope, not involving violence or destructive acts or other conduct exhibiting a high degree of anti-social character.

Full text (English, AI translation) 4,198 chars

[Defendant]

[Appellant] Defendant

[Judgment Below]

Busan District Court Judgment 95No2608, rendered November 21, 1995

[Order]

The appeal is dismissed. Of the number of days of detention after the appeal, the number of days corresponding to the remainder after subtracting, from the number of days of detention prior to the judgment of the court below that are legally aggregated, the number of days of detention prior to the first instance judgment that were already credited by the court below to the principal sentence, shall be credited to the principal sentence.

[Reasoning]

We examine the grounds of appeal.

Upon examining the evidence from the first instance that was cited by the court below, the court below's determination recognizing each of the criminal facts against the Defendant in this case, based on the above evidence, is justified, and there is no illegality of misapprehension of facts due to a violation of the rules of evidence as argued in the grounds of appeal.

Furthermore,

Even if extended work is carried out by agreement of the parties, if workers are incited to collectively refuse the extended work that they had customarily performed, thereby obstructing the normal operation of the company's business, this must be regarded as an industrial action (labor dispute act) (see this Court's Decision 91Do600, rendered October 22, 1991).

An industrial action (labor dispute act) includes not only passive acts of workers refusing or ceasing to provide labor, but also active acts that impede the normal operation of business in order to achieve their demands; therefore, by the very nature of industrial action, there are inevitably cases where the employer's normal business operations are impeded, and the employer bears an obligation to tolerate this. However, when such workers' industrial action exceeds the limits of legitimacy, the workers cannot be exempted from criminal liability, such as for the crime of obstruction of business. The requirements for legitimacy that exempt criminal liability are as follows: the purpose of the industrial action must be legitimate, in that it is aimed at maintaining or improving working conditions, etc., in connection with collective bargaining; the timing and procedures of the industrial action must be legitimate, in accordance with the provisions of statutes and regulations; and the methods and manner of the industrial action must remain within a legitimate scope, not involving violence or destructive acts or other conduct exhibiting a high degree of anti-social character (see this Court's Decision 92Do1855, rendered September 22, 1992).

However, according to the facts as determined by the court below, the industrial action in this case not only violated statutes and regulations with respect to its timing and procedures, but some of it also exceeded the legitimate scope in its methods and manner; therefore, the Defendant cannot be exempted from criminal liability for the crime of obstruction of business.

Meanwhile, Article 59, Paragraph 2 of the collective agreement of the company in this case provides that "if a settlement is not reached despite mediation or conciliation by the Labor Relations Commission, either the company or the union may apply to the Labor Relations Commission for arbitration." Even if the amendment of this provision has become a point of contention between labor and management, this fact alone cannot render the provision, or the application for arbitration based thereon, invalid.

The argument is without merit.

Therefore, the appeal is dismissed, and it is unanimously agreed among the participating judges that, of the number of days of detention after the appeal, the number of days corresponding to the remainder after subtracting, from the number of days of detention prior to the judgment of the court below that are legally aggregated, the number of days of detention prior to the first instance judgment that were already credited by the court below to the principal sentence, shall be credited to the principal sentence, and it is so decided as in the Order.

Justice Kim Seok-su (Presiding Justice), Jeong Gwi-ho, Lee Don-hee (Justice in charge), Lee Im-su

【판결요지】

[1] 연장근로가 당사자의 합의에 의하여 이루어지는 것이라고 하더라도 근로자들을 선동하여 근로자들이 통상적으로 해 오던 연장근로를 집단적으로 거부하도록 함으로써 회사업무의 정상운영을 방해하였다면 이는 쟁의행위로 보아야 한다.

[2] 쟁의행위는 근로자가 소극적으로 노무제공을 거부하거나 정지하는 행위만이 아니라 적극적으로 그 주장을 관철하기 위하여 업무의 정상적인 운영을 저해하는 행위까지 포함하는 것이므로, 쟁의행위의 본질상 사용자의 정상업무가 저해되는 경우가 있음은 부득이한 것으로서 사용자는 이를 수인할 의무가 있으나, 이러한 근로자의 쟁의행위가 정당성의 한계를 벗어날 때에는 근로자는 업무방해죄 등 형사상 책임을 면할 수 없는바, 형사상 책임이 면제되는 정당성의 요건은 쟁의행위가 단체교섭과 관련하여 근로조건의 유지, 개선 등을 목적으로 하는 것이어서 그 목적이 정당하여야 하고, 쟁의행위의 시기와 절차가 법령의 규정에 따른 것으로서 정당하여야 하며, 또 쟁의행위의 방법과 태양이 폭력 또는 파괴행위를 수반하거나 기타 고도의 반사회성을 띤 행위가 아닌 정당한 범위 내의 것이어야 한다.

【참조조문】

[1] 노동쟁의조정법 제3조

[2] 형법 제20조 , 구 형법(1995. 12. 29. 법률 제5057호로 개정되기 전의 것) 제314조

【참조판례】

[1] 대법원 1991. 7. 9. 선고 91도1051 판결(공1991, 2184), 대법원 1991. 10. 22. 선고 91도600 판결(공1991, 2866) /[2] 대법원 1991. 5. 14. 선고 90누4006 판결(공1991, 1654), 대법원 1991. 5. 24. 선고 91도324 판결(공1991, 1817), 대법원 1992. 1. 21. 선고 91누5204 판결(공1992, 927), 대법원 1992. 3. 13. 선고 91누10473 판결(공1992, 1324), 대법원 1992. 9. 22. 선고 92도1855 판결(공1992, 3047)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 1,457자 · 펼쳐 보기

【피고인】

【상고인】 피고인

【원심판결】 부산지법 1995. 11. 21. 선고 95노2608 판결

【주문】

상고를 기각한다. 상고 후의 구금일수 중 본형 형기에서 원심이 산입한 제1심판결 선고 전의 구금일수와 법정통산되는 원심판결 선고 전의 구금일수를 감한 잔여 일수에 해당하는 일수를 본형에 산입한다.

【이유】 상고이유를 본다.

원심이 인용한 제1심 증거들을 살펴본즉 위 증거들을 들어 피고인에 대한 이 사건 각 범죄사실을 인정한 원심의 판단은 정당하고, 거기에 소론과 같은 채증법칙 위배로 인한 사실오인의 위법이 있다 할 수 없다.

또한 연장근로가 당사자의 합의에 의하여 이루어지는 것이라고 하더라도 근로자들을 선동하여 근로자들이 통상적으로 해 오던 연장근로를 집단적으로 거부하도록 함으로써 회사업무의 정상운영을 방해하였다면 이는 쟁의행위로 보아야 할 것이고( 당원 1991. 10. 22. 선고 91도600 판결 참조), 쟁의행위는 근로자가 소극적으로 노무제공을 거부하거나 정지하는 행위만이 아니라 적극적으로 그 주장을 관철하기 위하여 업무의 정상적인 운영을 저해하는 행위까지 포함하는 것이므로, 쟁의행위의 본질상 사용자의 정상업무가 저해되는 경우가 있음은 부득이한 것으로서 사용자는 이를 수인할 의무가 있으나, 이러한 근로자의 쟁의행위가 정당성의 한계를 벗어날 때에는 근로자는 업무방해죄 등 형사상 책임을 면할 수 없는바, 형사상 책임이 면제되는 정당성의 요건은 쟁의행위가 단체교섭과 관련하여 근로조건의 유지, 개선 등을 목적으로 하는 것이어서 그 목적이 정당하여야 하고, 쟁의행위의 시기와 절차가 법령의 규정에 따른 것으로서 정당하여야 하며, 또 쟁의행위의 방법과 태양이 폭력 또는 파괴행위를 수반하거나 기타 고도의 반사회성을 띤 행위가 아닌 정당한 범위 내의 것이어야 한다( 당원 1992. 9. 22. 선고 92도1855 판결 참조).

그런데 원심이 확정한 사실관계에 의하면 이 사건 쟁의행위는 그 시기와 절차가 법령에 위배될 뿐 아니라, 그 일부는 그 방법과 태양도 정당한 범위를 벗어났으므로 업무방해죄의 형사책임을 면할 수 없다 할 것이다.

한편 이 사건 회사의 단체협약 제59조 제2항에 "노동위원회의 알선, 조정에도 불구하고 타결이 안될 때에는 회사와 조합 중 어느 일방이 노동위원회에 중재를 신청할 수 있다"는 조항이 있는바, 그 조항의 개정이 노사 간의 쟁점이 되어 있다 하더라도 그 점만으로 위 조항이나 이를 근거로 한 중재신청을 무효라고 볼 수는 없다.

논지는 이유 없다.

그러므로 상고를 기각하기로 하고, 상고 후의 구금일수 중 본형 형기에서 원심이 산입한 제1심판결 선고 전의 구금일수와 법정통산되는 원심판결 선고 전의 구금일수를 감한 잔여 일수에 해당하는 일수를 본형에 산입하기로 관여 법관의 의견이 일치되어 주문과 같이 판결한다.

대법관 김석수(재판장) 정귀호 이돈희(주심) 이임수

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