Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 96다2507

Confirmation of Non-Existence of Obligation (채무부존재확인)채무부존재확인

Decided1997. 05. 16. Court대법원Case remanded (파기환송) — Employer's position was ultimately vindicated, as the Supreme Court found the retirement age rule valid.
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.

A transportation company that previously had no mandatory retirement age policy introduced a new rule setting the retirement age at 55, without obtaining approval from a majority of union members. The dispute centered on whether this amendment to the employment rules (취업규칙) was invalid due to lack of proper union consent. The Supreme Court (대법원) reversed the lower court's decision, ruling that consent from the union branch chapter head (분회장) alone was sufficient to validate the change, even though it disadvantaged workers.

Key takeaways
  • CaseA transportation company introduced a new mandatory retirement age of 55 without securing approval from a majority of its unionized workers.
  • OutcomeThe Supreme Court ruled that consent from the union branch chapter head, acting as the union's representative, was legally sufficient to validate the change, even though it disadvantaged employees.
  • LessonEmployers seeking to make disadvantageous changes to employment rules should ensure valid consent from the properly authorized union representative, rather than assuming a majority vote of individual members is always required.
Issues
  • Whether introducing a mandatory retirement age system constitutes a disadvantageous change to the employment rules (취업규칙의 불이익 변경)
  • What scope of union consent is required when employment rules are changed to workers' disadvantage — consent of the union representative versus consent of a majority of union members
  • The legal effect of consent given by worker representatives on the labor-management council and by the union branch chapter head
Key reasoning

The Court acknowledged that introducing a mandatory retirement age constitutes a disadvantageous change to the employment rules (취업규칙의 불이익 변경), since it strips workers of a vested right to continue working indefinitely. However, the Court clarified that under Korean labor law, when a labor union's consent is required for such changes, it is sufficient for the union representative (union branch head) to give consent on behalf of the union, as long as there is no specific restriction on the representative's authority to act for the union. Separate approval from a majority of individual union members is not additionally required. This established an important legal principle distinguishing between union-level consent (via the representative) and consent from a majority of the workforce.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

[1] The authority to create and modify rules of employment (취업규칙) rests, in principle, with the employer, so that the employer may create or modify the rules of employment in accordance with its own intent. However, where the creation or modification of the rules of employment has the content of depriving employees of their vested rights or interests and imposing disadvantageous working conditions, it requires the consent obtained through the collective decision-making method of the employees who were subject to the previous working conditions or rules of employment, that is, the consent of the labor union where there exists a labor union organized by a majority of the employees at the workplace concerned, or the consent of a majority of the employees where there is no labor union organized by a majority of the employees. If such consent has not been obtained, the modified rules of employment shall not apply to the existing employees whose vested interests are infringed, unless it is recognized that there is reasonableness in light of social norms (사회통념상 합리성). Whether the modification of the rules of employment has reasonableness in light of social norms, and whether it is disadvantageous to employees, must be determined by comprehensively considering all relevant circumstances, including the purpose and background of the modification, the nature of the business of the relevant enterprise, and the overall structure of each provision of the rules of employment.

[2] In the case of a transportation company whose rules of employment did not previously contain a provision on mandatory retirement age, where a new provision setting the retirement age at 55 is introduced, if the employees of that transportation company had previously been able to continue working without any restriction even after exceeding the age of 55, but as a result of the newly introduced retirement age provision, they now reach retirement age at 55 and may continue to work beyond the age of 55 only in certain cases subject to the company's review, then such newly introduced retirement age provision constitutes the imposition of disadvantageous working conditions that deprive employees of their vested rights or interests.

[3] Where a company has a labor union organized by a majority of its employees, and a new retirement age provision disadvantageous to employees is introduced into the rules of employment, the consent of the labor union must be obtained for this. In such a case, the consent of the labor union may be given by the union chairman on behalf of the labor union, unless there are special circumstances indicating that the representative authority of the union chairman has been restricted by statute, a collective agreement, or the labor union's bylaws; it is not required that the consent of a majority of the employees belonging to the labor union be obtained. (In a case where a transportation company in which a labor union was established introduced a retirement age provision of 55 years into its rules of employment upon obtaining the consent of all employee representatives on the labor-management council and the chairman of the union branch, the Court reversed the judgment of the court below, which had held that this could not be equated with obtaining the consent of the labor union and had therefore ruled the introduction of the retirement age provision invalid.)

Full text (English, AI translation) 11,741 chars

[Plaintiff, Appellant] ○○ Transportation Co., Ltd. (Attorney Bae Man-un for the plaintiff)
[Defendant, Appellee] Defendant (Yoon Jong-hyun and four others, attorneys of Simin General Law Firm, for the defendant)
[Judgment Below] Seoul High Court Judgment 95Na15164 rendered on December 15, 1995

[Order]

The judgment below is reversed. The case is remanded to the Seoul High Court.

[Reasoning]

The grounds of appeal are examined.

1. According to the reasoning of the judgment below, the facts found and the determination made by the court below are as follows.

A. The Defendant (born on January 7, 1938) joined the Plaintiff company, a city bus company, as a bus driver on March 9, 1984, and worked there until he was dismissed on June 29, 1991 on the ground that he had distributed leaflets criticizing the Plaintiff company on June 15, 1991. The Defendant filed a lawsuit against the Plaintiff company seeking confirmation of the invalidity of the dismissal and payment of wages equivalent to those he would have earned from June 29, 1991 until his reinstatement, and obtained a final and conclusive judgment in his favor. The Plaintiff company had previously not had any provision concerning employees' retirement age in its work rules (취업규칙), but on June 14, 1991, it convened a labor-management council (노사협의회) and newly established a provision in Article 50, Paragraph 16 of the work rules, titled "Age Limit for Employees' Mandatory Retirement," which provided: "The mandatory retirement age of employees shall be the day following the date on which they reach 55 years of age; provided, however, that in cases where an employee has demonstrated excellent work performance during employment, has generally set an example for other employees, has made efforts to prevent accidents, and has enhanced the reputation of the company, the company may, upon annual review, permit the employee to continue working beyond that age." At the said labor-management council meeting, the consent of all three worker members constituting the council was obtained, and moreover, a written opinion was obtained in the name of non-party 1, who was then the chairperson of the ○○ chapter of the Seoul Bus Branch of the National Federation of Automobile Workers' Unions, stating: "As the representative of the labor union chapter, I have reviewed the partial amendment to the Plaintiff company's work rules and have no objection thereto." Meanwhile, the Rules for Operation of Labor-Management Councils (노사협의회 운영준칙), an administrative rule (예규) of the Ministry of Labor, provides that matters concerning working conditions not falling within the scope of matters to be handled by labor-management councils under the Act on the Promotion of Workers' Participation and Cooperation (노사협의회법) may nevertheless be discussed and decided upon. As of June 14, 1991, the total number of employees of the Plaintiff company was 206 (of whom 145 were union members), and among them, approximately 20 employees had reached the age of 55; however, such employees had continued to work without any restriction even after reaching 55. As for the mandatory retirement age for employees at other bus companies in the Seoul area, Donghae Transportation Co., Ltd. set it at 57, Yeongdong Transportation Co., Ltd. at 58, Hanseong Bus Co., Ltd. at 60, Hanseong Transportation Co., Ltd. at 61, and Samyang Transportation Co., Ltd., Hanseong Passenger Transport Co., Ltd., and Taereung Transportation Co., Ltd. each at 55.

B. Based on the above facts, the court below made the following determination.

Even though the Plaintiff company's work rules previously contained no express provision on retirement age, the newly established provision setting the retirement age at 55 constitutes a de facto reduction of the retirement age and thus an unfavorable change to the working conditions that had previously existed de facto at the Plaintiff company. Accordingly, the consent of the labor union or of a majority of the collective body of employees should have been obtained. As noted above, although the Plaintiff company obtained the consent of all worker members constituting the labor-management council when establishing the said retirement-age provision in the work rules, the labor-management council is a system whose purpose is to promote industrial peace by enhancing the common interests of labor and management through mutual understanding and cooperation between employees and the employer, and its purpose differs from that of a labor union. Therefore, even though the Ministry of Labor's administrative rule provides that matters concerning working conditions may be included among the matters to be discussed by the council, there is no material to show that, in electing the worker members who constitute the labor-management council, the employees comprehensively delegated to them the authority to give consent on their behalf to unfavorable changes in working conditions, nor is there material to show that the worker members, in giving their consent to the establishment of the said retirement-age provision, had gathered and consolidated the employees' opinions in advance and exercised their expression of intent by way of agency. Moreover, even though an opinion indicating no objection to the establishment of the said retirement-age provision was obtained from non-party 1, who was then the chapter chairperson of the ○○ chapter of the Seoul Bus Branch of the National Federation of Automobile Workers' Unions, there is likewise no material to show that the said non-party 1, as the union chapter chairperson, had been comprehensively delegated the authority to give consent on behalf of the employees to unfavorable changes in working conditions, or that he had gathered and consolidated the employees' opinions in advance and exercised their expression of intent by way of agency. Accordingly, the consent obtained from the worker members of the labor-management council or from the union chapter chairperson cannot be equated with the consent of the labor union or of a majority of the employees. Furthermore, in light of the fact that, although some companies have a retirement age of 55, many other companies have retirement ages exceeding that age, and that it accords with common experience to consider that ordinary manual laborers remain capable of working even beyond the age of 55, it is difficult to recognize that the establishment of the 55-year retirement-age provision possesses such reasonableness under generally accepted social norms as would obviate the need for the consent of the labor union or the collective body of employees. Consequently, the establishment of the said 55-year retirement-age provision must be held invalid.

2. As to Grounds of Appeal Nos. 1 and 2

A. The authority to draft and amend work rules (취업규칙) in principle belongs to the employer, and the employer may draft and amend the work rules according to its own intention. However, where the drafting or amendment of the work rules deprives employees of vested rights or interests already held by them and imposes unfavorable working conditions, the consent obtained through the collective decision-making method of the employees who were subject to the previous working conditions or work rules—that is, the consent of the labor union, where there exists a labor union organized by a majority of the employees at the workplace concerned, or the consent of a majority of the employees, where no such labor union exists—is required. Where such consent has not been obtained, the amended work rules shall not apply to existing employees whose vested interests are infringed, unless it is recognized that the amendment possesses reasonableness under generally accepted social norms (see Supreme Court Decision 88Da4277 rendered on May 9, 1989; Supreme Court en banc Decision 91Da45165 rendered on December 22, 1992; and Supreme Court Decision 92Da39778 rendered on January 15, 1993). Whether an amendment to the work rules possesses reasonableness under generally accepted social norms and whether it is unfavorable to employees must be determined by comprehensively considering all relevant circumstances, including the purpose and background of the amendment, the nature of the business operated by the enterprise concerned, and the overall structure of the various provisions of the work rules (see Supreme Court Decision 87Da2853 rendered on May 10, 1988).

B. If the facts are as found by the court below, then before the establishment of the retirement-age provision, the employees of the Plaintiff company could continue working without any restriction even beyond the age of 55; however, due to the establishment of the said retirement-age provision, they now reach retirement age at 55, and are permitted to work beyond the age of 55 only in certain cases, subject to the Plaintiff company's review. Accordingly, even taking into account the circumstances noted above, the establishment of such a retirement-age provision constitutes the imposition of unfavorable working conditions that deprive employees of vested rights or interests they held. Therefore, it cannot be said that the judgment below, having determined the matter in the same vein, committed an error of law by misapprehending the legal principles concerning unfavorable amendments to work rules. The ground of appeal pointing to this issue cannot be accepted.

C. Accordingly, the establishment of the said retirement-age provision constitutes a case of amending the work rules unfavorably to employees, and since, as found by the court below, the Plaintiff company has a labor union organized by a majority of its employees, the consent of the labor union must be obtained in such a case. However, even in such a case, the consent of the labor union may be given by the union president on behalf of the union, unless there exist special circumstances such that the union president's representative authority has been restricted by statute, a collective bargaining agreement, the labor union's bylaws, or the like; it is not necessary to obtain the consent of a majority of the union members belonging to the labor union.

Accordingly, if, as found by the court below, non-party 1, the union chapter chairperson, expressed an opinion indicating no objection to the establishment of the said retirement-age provision, then, absent special circumstances such as a restriction on the chapter chairperson's authority to consent to the establishment of work rules unfavorable to employees, this should be regarded as valid consent of the labor union. Nevertheless, the court below concluded that there was no material to show that non-party 1 had been comprehensively delegated the authority to give consent on behalf of the employees, or that he had gathered and consolidated the employees' opinions in advance and exercised their expression of intent by way of agency, and on that basis simply concluded that there was no consent of the labor union. The judgment below cannot but be regarded as having committed an error of law by misapprehending the legal principles concerning the labor union's consent to the amendment of work rules, and by failing to sufficiently examine the matter. The portion of the grounds of appeal pointing to this issue has merit.

3. Accordingly, without examining the remaining grounds of appeal, the judgment below is reversed, and the case is remanded to the court below for further hearing and determination. This judgment is rendered as set forth in the Order, with the unanimous concurrence of the participating Justices.

Justice Park Jun-seo (Presiding Justice), Justice Park Man-ho, Justice Kim Hyeong-seon, Justice Lee Yong-hun (Justice in Charge)

【판결요지】

[1] 취업규칙의 작성·변경의 권한은 원칙적으로 사용자에게 있으므로 사용자는 그 의사에 따라 취업규칙을 작성·변경할 수 있으나, 취업규칙의 작성·변경이 근로자가 가지고 있는 기득의 권리나 이익을 박탈하여 불이익한 근로조건을 부과하는 내용일 때에는 종전 근로조건 또는 취업규칙의 적용을 받고 있던 근로자의 집단적 의사결정방법에 의한 동의, 즉 당해 사업장에 근로자의 과반수로 조직된 노동조합이 있는 경우에는 노동조합, 근로자의 과반수로 조직된 노동조합이 없는 경우에는 근로자의 과반수의 동의를 요하고, 이러한 동의를 얻지 못한 경우에는 사회통념상 합리성이 있다고 인정되지 않는 한 기득 이익이 침해되는 기존의 근로자에 대하여는 변경된 취업규칙이 적용되지 않고, 취업규칙의 변경이 사회통념상 합리성이 있느냐의 여부와 근로자에게 불이익하느냐 여부는 그 변경의 취지와 경위, 해당 사업체의 업무의 성질, 취업규칙 각 규정의 전체적인 체제 등 제반 사정을 종합하여 판단하여야 한다.

[2] 취업규칙에 정년규정이 없던 운수회사에서 55세 정년규정을 신설한 경우, 그 운수회사의 근로자들은 정년제 규정이 신설되기 이전에는 만 55세를 넘더라도 아무런 제한 없이 계속 근무할 수 있었으나, 그 정년규정의 신설로 인하여 만 55세로 정년에 이르고, 회사의 심사에 의하여 일정한 경우에만 만 55세를 넘어서 근무할 수 있도록 되었다면 이와 같은 정년제 규정의 신설은 근로자가 가지고 있는 기득의 권리나 이익을 박탈하는 불이익한 근로조건을 부과하는 것에 해당한다.

[3] 근로자 과반수로 조직된 노동조합이 있는 회사에서 취업규칙에 근로자에게 불리한 정년제 규정을 신설하는 경우, 그에 대한 노동조합의 동의를 얻어야 하는데, 이 경우에 있어서도 노동조합의 동의는 법령이나, 단체협약 또는 노동조합의 규약 등에 의하여 조합장의 대표권이 제한되었다고 볼만한 특별한 사정이 없는 한 조합장이 노동조합을 대표하여 하면 되는 것이지 노동조합 소속 근로자의 과반수의 동의를 얻어서 하여야 하는 것은 아니다(노동조합이 설립된 운수회사가 그 취업규칙에 55세 정년규정을 신설하면서 노사협의회 근로자위원 전원과 노동조합 분회장의 동의를 얻은 경우, 이를 노동조합의 동의를 얻은 것과 동일시할 수 없다고 보아 그 정년규정의 신설을 무효라고 한 원심판결을 파기한 사례).

【참조조문】

[1] 구 근로기준법(1997. 3. 13. 법률 제5305호로 폐지되기 전의 것) 제95조 제1항

[2] 구 근로기준법(1997. 3. 13. 법률 제5305호로 폐지되기 전의 것) 제95조 제1항

[3] 구 근로기준법(1997. 3. 13. 법률 제5305호로 폐지되기 전의 것) 제95조 제1항

【참조판례】

[1] 대법원 1992. 12. 22. 선고 91다45165 전원합의체 판결(공1993상, 546), 대법원 1993. 8. 24. 선고 93다17898 판결(공1993하, 2606), 대법원 1994. 5. 24. 선고 93다14493 판결(공1994하, 1788), 대법원 1994. 10. 14. 선고 94다25322 판결(공1994하, 2986) /[3] 대법원 1994. 6. 24. 선고 92다28556 판결(공1995상, 603)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 4,262자 · 펼쳐 보기

【원고,상고인】 ○○운수 주식회사 (소송대리인 변호사 배만운)

【피고,피상고인】 피고 (소송대리인 법무법인 시민종합법률사무소 담당변호사 윤종현 외 4인)

【원심판결】 서울고법 1995. 12. 15. 선고 95나15164 판결

【주문】

원심판결을 파기한다. 사건을 서울고등법원에 환송한다.

【이유】 상고이유를 판단한다.

1. 원심판결 이유에 의하면, 원심이 인정하고 있는 사실관계와 판단은 다음과 같다.

가. 피고(1938. 1. 7.생)는 1984. 3. 9. 시내버스회사인 원고 회사에 버스운전사로 입사하여 근무하다가 1991. 6. 15. 원고 회사를 비난하는 내용의 유인물을 배포하였다는 이유로 같은 달 29. 해고되자, 원고 회사를 상대로 해고무효확인 및 1991. 6. 29.부터 복직시킬 때까지 임금 상당액의 지급을 구하는 소를 제기하여 승소 확정판결을 받았다. 원고 회사는 종래 취업규칙에 근로자의 정년에 관한 규정을 두지 아니하였는데, 1991. 6. 14. 노사협의회를 개최하여 취업규칙 제50조 제16항에 '종사원의 정년퇴직 연령제한'이라는 제목으로 "종사원의 정년퇴직 연령은 만 55세가 되는 다음날로 한다. 단 재직시 근무성적이 우수하며 평소 타 근로자에 모범이 되고 사고예방에 노력하였으며 회사의 명예를 고양시킨 경우에는 회사가 매년 심사하여 연장근무할 수 있다."라는 규정을 신설하였으며, 위 노사협의회에서 구성원인 근로자위원 3인 전원의 동의를 얻었음은 물론 당시 전국 자동차노동조합연맹 서울버스지부 ○○분회 분회장이던 소외 1 명의로 된 "노동조합분회 대표자로서 원고 회사 취업규칙 일부 변경사항을 검토한 바 하등의 이의가 없다."는 내용의 의견서를 받았다. 한편 노동부 예규인 노사협의회 운영준칙은 노사협의회법상 노사협의회 사항으로 되어 있지 않은 근로조건에 관한 사항까지 협의·결정할 수 있는 것으로 규정하고 있으며, 1991. 6. 14. 당시 원고 회사 근로자 총수는 206명(그 중 노동조합원은 145명)이었고, 그 중 만 55세에 도달한 근로자의 수는 20여 명이었으나 55세에 이르더라도 아무런 제한 없이 계속 근무하여 왔으며, 서울지역 다른 버스회사에서의 근로자의 정년퇴직 연령은 동해운수 주식회사가 57세, 영동교통 주식회사가 58세, 한성버스 주식회사가 60세, 한성운수 주식회사가 61세, 삼양교통 주식회사, 한성여객 주식회사, 태릉교통 주식회사가 각 55세이다.

나. 원심은 위와 같은 사실관계를 바탕으로 하여 다음과 같이 판단하고 있다.

원고 회사의 취업규칙에 종전에는 명문의 정년규정이 없었다고 하더라도 55세 정년규정의 신설은 실질적인 정년의 단축으로서 종전에 원고 회사에 사실상 존재하던 근로조건을 불이익하게 변경하는 것이므로 노동조합 또는 근로자집단 과반수의 동의를 얻었어야 할 것인데, 위에서 본 바와 같이 원고 회사가 위와 같은 취업규칙상의 정년규정을 신설함에 있어서 노사협의회의 구성원인 근로자위원 전원으로부터 위 55세 정년규정의 신설에 대하여 동의를 받았다고 하더라도 노사협의회는 근로자와 사용자 쌍방이 이해와 협조를 통하여 노사공동의 이익을 증진함으로써 산업평화를 도모할 것을 목적으로 하는 제도로서 노동조합과 그 제도의 취지가 다르므로 비록 노동부 예규가 근로조건에 관한 사항을 그 협의사항으로 규정하고 있다 하더라도 근로자들이 노사협의회를 구성하는 근로자위원들을 선출함에 있어 그들에게 근로조건을 불이익하게 변경함에 있어 근로자들을 대신하여 동의를 할 권한까지 포괄적으로 위임한 것이라거나 그 근로자위원들이 위 정년규정의 신설에 동의를 함에 있어서 사전에 근로자들의 의견을 집약 및 취합하여 그들의 의사표시를 대리하여 행사하였다고 볼 자료가 없으며, 당시 전국자동차노동조합연맹 서울버스지부 ○○분회 분회장이던 소외 1로부터 위 정년규정의 신설에 이의가 없다는 취지의 의견을 들었다 하더라도 이 역시 위 노조분회장인 위 소외 1이 근로조건을 불이익하게 변경함에 있어 근로자들을 대신하여 동의를 할 권한을 포괄적으로 위임받았다거나 사전에 근로자들의 의견을 집약 및 취합하여 그들의 의사표시를 대리하여 행사하였다고 볼 자료가 없으므로, 노사협의회의 근로자위원들 또는 노조분회장의 동의를 얻은 것을 노동조합 또는 근로자들 과반수의 동의를 얻은 것과 동일시 할 수는 없고, 일부 회사가 55세 정년규정을 두고 있으나 이를 상회하는 정년규정을 두고 있는 회사가 다수 있으며 일반 육체노동자가 55세를 넘어서도 가동할 수 있다고 보는 것이 경험칙에 합당함에 비추어 위와 같은 55세의 정년규정의 신설이 노동조합 또는 근로자집단의 동의를 얻지 않아도 될 만큼 사회통념상의 합리성이 있는 것으로 인정하기도 어려우므로, 결국 위 55세의 정년규정의 신설은 무효라고 할 것이다.

2. 상고이유 제1점, 제2점에 대하여

가. 취업규칙의 작성·변경의 권한은 원칙적으로 사용자에게 있으므로 사용자는 그 의사에 따라 취업규칙을 작성·변경할 수 있으나, 취업규칙의 작성·변경이 근로자가 가지고 있는 기득의 권리나 이익을 박탈하여 불이익한 근로조건을 부과하는 내용일 때에는 종전 근로조건 또는 취업규칙의 적용을 받고 있던 근로자의 집단적 의사결정방법에 의한 동의, 즉 당해 사업장에 근로자의 과반수로 조직된 노동조합이 있는 경우에는 노동조합, 근로자의 과반수로 조직된 노동조합이 없는 경우에는 근로자의 과반수의 동의를 요하고, 이러한 동의를 얻지 못한 경우에는 사회통념상 합리성이 있다고 인정되지 않는 한 기득 이익이 침해되는 기존의 근로자에 대하여는 변경된 취업규칙이 적용되지 아니한다 할 것이고( 대법원 1989. 5. 9. 선고 88다카4277 판결, 1992. 12. 22. 선고 91다45165 전원합의체 판결, 1993. 1. 15. 선고 92다39778 판결 참조), 취업규칙의 변경이 사회통념상 합리성이 있느냐의 여부와 근로자에게 불이익하느냐 여부는 그 변경의 취지와 경위, 해당 사업체의 업무의 성질, 취업규칙 각 규정의 전체적인 체제 등 제반 사정을 종합하여 판단하여야 할 것이다( 대법원 1988. 5. 10. 선고 87다카2853 판결 참조).

나. 사실관계가 원심이 인정한 바와 같다면 원고 회사의 근로자들은 정년제 규정이 신설되기 이전에는 만 55세를 넘더라도 아무런 제한 없이 계속 근무할 수 있었으나, 위 정년규정의 신설로 인하여 만 55세로 정년에 이르고, 원고 회사의 심사에 의하여 일정한 경우에만 만 55세를 넘어서 근무할 수 있도록 되었으므로 위에서 본 바와 같은 사정을 참작한다고 하더라도 이와 같은 정년제 규정의 신설은 근로자가 가지고 있는 기득의 권리나 이익을 박탈하는 불이익한 근로조건을 부과하는 것에 해당한다고 할 것이므로 같은 취지로 판단한 원심판결에 취업규칙의 불이익변경에 관한 법리오해의 위법이 있다고 할 수는 없다. 이 점을 지적하는 상고이유는 받아들일 수 없다.

다. 그러므로 위와 같은 정년규정을 신설한 것은 취업규칙을 근로자에게 불이익하게 변경하는 경우에 해당한다고 할 것이고, 원고 회사의 경우에 있어서는 원심판시와 같이 근로자 과반수로 조직된 노동조합이 있으므로 이와 같은 경우에 있어서는 노동조합의 동의를 얻어야 한다고 할 것이다. 그러나 이러한 경우에 있어서도 노동조합의 동의는 법령이나, 단체협약 또는 노동조합의 규약 등에 의하여 조합장의 대표권이 제한되었다고 볼만한 특별한 사정이 없는 한 조합장이 노동조합을 대표하여 하면 되는 것이지 노동조합 소속 근로자의 과반수의 동의를 얻어서 하여야 하는 것은 아니다.

따라서 원심이 인정한 바와 같이 노동조합 분회장인 소외 1이 위 정년규정의 신설에 이의가 없다는 취지의 의견을 제시하였다면, 근로자에게 불이익한 취업규칙의 신설 등에 대한 노동조합 분회장의 동의권이 제한되어 있다는 등 특별한 사정이 없는 한 그것은 적법한 노동조합의 동의라고 보아야 할 것인데도, 원심은 소외 1이 근로자들을 대신하여 동의를 할 권한을 포괄적으로 위임받았다거나 사전에 근로자들의 의견을 집약 및 취합하여 그들의 의사표시를 대리하여 행사하였다고 볼 자료가 없다고 하여 노동조합의 동의가 없었다고 단정하고 말았으니, 원심판결에는 취업규칙 변경에 관한 노동조합의 동의에 관한 법리오해 및 심리미진의 위법을 저지른 것으로 보지 않을 수 없다. 상고이유 중 이 점을 지적하는 부분은 이유 있다.

3. 그러므로 나머지 상고이유에 대한 판단을 생략한 채 원심판결을 파기하고, 사건을 다시 심리·판단하게 하기 위하여 원심법원에 환송하기로 관여 법관의 의견이 일치되어 주문과 같이 판결한다.

대법관 박준서(재판장) 박만호 김형선 이용훈(주심)

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