Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 91누5020

Revocation of Reexamination Ruling on Remedy for Unfair Labor Practice (부당노동행위구제재심판정취소)부당노동행위구제재심판정취소

Decided1992. 03. 13. 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.

A union official was disciplinarily dismissed by the company after distributing leaflets that defamed a company executive and refusing a business trip order. The Supreme Court held that these actions did not constitute legitimate union activities (정당한 조합활동), and therefore the dismissal did not amount to an unfair labor practice (부당노동행위).

Key takeaways
  • CaseA union official was disciplinarily dismissed for distributing leaflets defaming a company executive and for refusing a business trip order.
  • OutcomeThe court ruled that defamation and refusal of a work order without justified cause do not constitute legitimate union activity, making the dismissal lawful.
  • LessonEven actions taken in the context of union activity can justify disciplinary action if they cross the line into personal defamation or unjustified refusal to follow work orders.
Issues
  • Whether the distribution of the leaflets qualified as legitimate union activity (정당한 조합활동)
  • Whether the refusal to comply with the business trip order was justified
  • Whether the disciplinary dismissal constituted an unfair labor practice (부당노동행위)
Key reasoning

The Court reasoned that distributing leaflets which defamed a company executive, as well as leaflets inciting collective use of monthly leave (월차휴가) unrelated to actual labor relations issues, cannot be considered legitimate union activities. Similarly, refusing a business trip order on the grounds of an unauthorized union event—one not agreed upon in advance with the company—also fails to qualify as legitimate union activity. Since neither the leafleting nor the refusal to comply with the work order fell within the protected scope of union activity, the resulting disciplinary dismissal (징계해고) was not motivated by anti-union animus and therefore did not constitute an unfair labor practice.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

a. Whether an employee's act constitutes a legitimate act for the business of a labor union under Article 39, Item 1 of the Trade Union Act (노동조합법) must be determined according to social norms by comprehensively considering the attitudes of both labor and management, and the type and degree of the disadvantageous treatment to be imposed by the employer, in the specific case at issue; and where the employee's act, which the employer cites as the reason for the disadvantageous treatment, consists of the distribution of printed materials, the content of such materials, the quantity distributed, the timing and manner of distribution, the persons targeted, and the resulting impact on the enterprise or its business shall serve as the criteria for determining legitimacy.

b. A case holding that, where printed materials drafted and circulated by an employee contained content defamatory to a company executive, part of which was groundless, and where the printed materials distributed by the employee, in connection with matters unrelated directly to the labor relationship between the employer company and the labor union or employees, incited employees to collectively take monthly leave, without following the prior notice procedure prescribed in the rules of employment, and as a result a large number of employees, in sympathy, left the workplace without authorization, thereby impeding the normal operation of the company's business, such distribution of printed materials cannot be deemed a legitimate union activity.

c. A business trip order falls within the scope of the employer's authority to issue business orders, and the employer must be recognized as having discretion within a reasonable range deemed necessary for business purposes; absent special circumstances such as the order being in violation of the employment contract or constituting an abuse of rights, the employee has a duty of good faith and a duty to provide labor in compliance with such order.

d. A case holding that where an employee refused a business trip order on the pretext of attending a union executives' training retreat that had not been agreed upon in advance with the employer, such refusal of the business trip order cannot be regarded as a labor union activity.

e. If it is not found that the company made legitimate union activity the ground for dismissing an employee, or that the company in substance dismissed the employee on account of legitimate union activity, the company's disciplinary dismissal of the employee cannot constitute an unfair labor practice; therefore, the argument that the dismissal constitutes an abuse of the discretion to impose disciplinary sanctions may serve as a ground for contesting the validity of the disciplinary measure, but it cannot have any bearing on whether the measure constitutes an unfair labor practice.

Full text (English, AI translation) 8,259 chars

[Plaintiff, Appellant] Plaintiff (Attorney Kim Seon-su, Counsel for the Plaintiff)
[Defendant, Appellee] Chairman of the National Labor Relations Commission (중앙노동위원회위원장)
[Defendant Assisting Intervenor] Defendant Assisting Intervenor Co., Ltd. (Attorneys Kim Chan-jin and 1 other, Counsel for the Defendant Assisting Intervenor)
[Judgment Below] Seoul High Court Judgment 1991. 5. 9., Case No. 90Gu11518

[Order]

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

[Reasoning]

The grounds for appeal are examined as follows.

1. As to Grounds for Appeal Nos. 1, 2, and 4-(a) — the Distribution of Printed Materials

Whether an act constitutes a legitimate act for the business of a labor union as provided under Article 39, Subparagraph 1 of the Labor Union Act (노동조합법) must be determined in accordance with social norms, comprehensively considering, in the specific case, the attitudes of both labor and management, and the type and degree of the disadvantageous treatment to be imposed by the employer. Where the act of the employee that the employer cites as the ground for disadvantageous treatment is the distribution of printed handbills, the content of the handbills, the number of copies, the timing, target, and method of distribution, and the resulting impact on the enterprise or its business shall serve as the criteria for determining legitimacy.

The facts as established by the court below are as follows: Around December 24, 1987, the Plaintiff prepared printed material criticizing the attitude of Non-party 1, who was then the section chief of the Connector Room at the Anyang Factory of the Intervenor Company to which the Plaintiff belonged, toward his subordinate staff, which material infringed upon Non-party 1's personality and privacy and contained content lacking clear grounds, and had this material circulated among the staff of the department concerned for their signatures. Separately, Non-party 2, who was then the deputy head of the Education and Public Relations Department of the Anyang Branch of the labor union, independently prepared, without any instruction from the labor union, printed material urging employees to collectively take monthly leave to attend the trial of the detained union chairman, Non-party 3, and proposing that, should Non-party 3 remain in detention, the union conduct actions such as workshops and refusal of education/training. Although the Plaintiff was aware of these facts, he distributed approximately 700 copies of this printed material on two occasions, June 20 and the following day, June 21, 1989, without giving prior notice to the Intervenor Company of such distribution, and as a result, approximately 116 employees who sympathized with this left the workplace without authorization, thereby greatly impeding the Intervenor Company's normal operations. Given that the printed material prepared and circulated by the Plaintiff defamed the honor of company executives as described above, with part of its content being groundless, and that the printed material distributed by the Plaintiff contained content inciting collective use of monthly leave in connection with matters unrelated directly to the employment relationship between the Intervenor Company and the labor union or employees, and moreover was distributed without following the prior notification procedure prescribed by the Rules of Employment, resulting in a large number of employees sympathizing therewith and leaving the workplace without authorization, thereby impeding the normal operation of the Intervenor Company's business — the Plaintiff's act of distributing the handbills cannot be deemed a legitimate union activity. The judgment below, which reached the same conclusion, is justified, and the argument criticizing it cannot be accepted.

2. As to Ground for Appeal No. 3 and No. 4-(a) — Unauthorized Demonstration, Obstruction of Business, and Refusal of the Business Trip Order

Upon examination of the record, the factual findings and determination of the court below, which found that the Plaintiff obstructed the business of the Intervenor Company, are justly acceptable. Even taking into account the motive for the Plaintiff's conduct, the act of illegally demonstrating within the workplace without permission as found by the court below, and, in the course of attempting to enter the disciplinary committee room without authorization, obstructing the proceedings of the disciplinary committee, cannot be recognized as a legitimate labor union activity. The judgment below, having reached the same conclusion, is justified, and it cannot be said to contain an error of law as argued.

A business trip order falls within the employer's authority to issue business directives, and the employer must be granted discretion within a reasonable scope where such an order is deemed necessary for business purposes; unless there are special circumstances such that the order violates the labor contract or constitutes an abuse of rights, the employee is under a duty of good faith and a duty to provide labor in compliance with such an order.

According to the facts established by the court below, in order to handle a claim raised on August 9, 1989 by Honam Oil Refining Co., Ltd. (호남정유주식회사), a business partner of the Intervenor Company, at its Yeocheon Factory, concerning defective withstand voltage of power cables, the Intervenor Company issued a business trip order to the Plaintiff, who had previously visited the said factory from around the end of May to early June of the same year to provide after-sales service for power cables. However, the Plaintiff refused the business trip order, citing his displeasure at having been disciplined and his participation in a union officers' training retreat that had not been agreed upon in advance with the Intervenor Company. This act of refusing the business trip order cannot be regarded as a labor union activity; moreover, the business trip order issued by the Intervenor Company was necessitated by the need to promptly address the claim raised by the business partner, making it difficult to allow sufficient advance preparation time, and the criteria by which the Intervenor Company designated the Plaintiff as the person to be sent on the business trip are also recognized as reasonable. Therefore, the Plaintiff's refusal of the business trip order, based on personal displeasure at having received a ten-day suspension as disciplinary action and on a union event that had not been agreed upon in advance with the Intervenor Company, cannot be deemed justified. This ground for appeal is without merit.

3. As to Ground for Appeal No. 4-(b) — Abuse of Disciplinary Authority

As pointed out in the argument, it is true that where an employer imposes disadvantageous treatment such as dismissal or reassignment upon an employee, citing the employee's legitimate labor union activities as the ground therefor, or where the employer takes such disadvantageous treatment while making the employee's legitimate act for the business of the labor union the decisive reason therefor, even though other reasons are ostensibly cited, such treatment constitutes an unfair labor practice.

However, as examined above with respect to this case, since it cannot be recognized that the Intervenor Company made legitimate union activities the ground for the Plaintiff's dismissal, nor that the Intervenor Company in substance dismissed the Plaintiff on account of legitimate union activities, the Intervenor Company's disciplinary dismissal of the Plaintiff cannot constitute an unfair labor practice. Accordingly, the argument that this constituted an abuse of disciplinary discretion, while it may be a ground for disputing the validity of the disciplinary action itself, cannot have any bearing on whether the act constitutes an unfair labor practice (see this Court's Judgment 1990. 9. 14., Case No. 89Nu6679). This ground for appeal is without merit.

Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed, and the costs of the appeal are to be borne by the losing party. The Justices involved unanimously agree, and it is so decided as stated in the Order.

Justice Park Man-ho (Presiding Justice), Park Woo-dong, Kim Sang-won, Yoon Young-chul

【판결요지】

가. 노동조합법 제39조 제1호가 규정한 노동조합의 업무를 위한 정당한 행위에 해당되는가의 여부는 구체적 사건에 있어서 노사 쌍방의 태도, 사용자가 할 불이익취급의 태양, 정도 등을 종합하여 사회통념에 따라 판단하여야 하고, 사용자가 불이익취급의 사유로 한 근로자의 행위가 유인물의 배포인 경우에는 그 유인물의 내용, 매수, 배포의 시기, 대상, 방법, 이로 인한 기업이나 업무에의 영향 등이 정당성을 판단하는 데 있어 기준이 될 것이다.

나. 근로자가 작성하여 회람시킨 인쇄물이 회사간부의 명예를 훼손하는 내용으로서 그 중 일부는 근거가 없는 것이고, 또 그가 배포한 인쇄물이 사용자인 회사와 노동조합 또는 근로자 사이의 근로관계와는 직접관계가 없는 사항과 관련하여 집단적으로 월차휴가를 실시할 것을 선동하는 내용인 데다가 취업규칙에 정한 사전통보절차도 밟지 않았고 그 결과 다수의 근로자가 이에 동조하여 사업장을 무단 이탈함으로써 회사 업무의 정상적인 운영에 지장을 주었다면 위와 같은 유인물배포행위가 정당한 조합활동이라고 할 수 없다고 한 사례.

다. 출장명령은 사용자의 업무명령권에 속하는 것으로 업무상 필요하다고 인정되는 상당한 범위 안에서는 사용자에게 재량이 인정되어야 하고 그것이 근로계약에 위반되거나 권리의 남용이라고 인정되는 등의 특별한 사정이 없는 한 근로자는 이에 따라야 할 성실의무 및 노무제공의무가 있다.

라. 근로자가 사용자와 사전합의도 안된 노조간부 수련회 참가 등을 내세워 출장명령을 거부하였다면 그 출장명령거부행위가 노동조합활동이라고 볼 수 없다고 한 사례.

마. 회사가 정당한 조합활동을 근로자에 대한 해고사유로 삼았거나 실질적으로 정당한 조합활동을 이유로 해고하였다고 인정되지 아니한다면, 회사의 근로자에 대한 징계해고조치는 부당노동행위가 될 수 없다 할 것이니 그것이 징계의 재량권을 남용한 것이라는 주장은 징계처분의 효력을 다투는 사유로서는 몰라도 부당노동행위가 되는지 여부에는 영향을 미칠 수 없다.

【참조조문】

노동조합법 제39조 제1호

【참조판례】

다. 대법원 1991. 7. 12. 선고 90다9353 판결(공1991,2136), 1991. 9. 24. 선고 91다12366 판결(공1991,2592), 1991. 10. 25. 선고 90다20428 판결(공1991,2816) / 마. 대법원 1990. 9. 14. 선고 89누6679 판결(공1990,2105)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 2,775자 · 펼쳐 보기

【원고, 상고인】 원고 (소송대리인 변호사 김선수)

【피고, 피상고인】 중앙노동위원회위원장

【피고보조참가인】 피고보조참가인 주식회사 (소송대리인 변호사 김찬진 외 1인)

【원심판결】 서울고법 1991. 5. 9. 선고 90구11518 판결

【주 문】

상고를 기각한다.

상고비용은 원고의 부담으로 한다.

【이 유】 상고이유를 판단한다.

1. 상고이유 제1, 2 및 4의 가. 인쇄물 배포의 점에 대하여

노동조합법 제39조 제1호가 규정한 노동조합의 업무를 위한 정당한 행위에 해당되는가의 여부는 구체적 사건에 있어서 노사 쌍방의 태도, 사용자가 할 불이익취급의 태양, 정도 등을 종합하여 사회통념에 따라 판단하여야 하고, 사용자가 불이익취급의 사유로 한 근로자의 행위가 유인물의 배포인 경우에는 그 유인물의 내용, 매수, 배포의 시기, 대상, 방법, 이로 인한 기업이나 업무에의 영향 등이 정당성을 판단하는 데 있어 기준이 될 것이다.

원심이 확정한 사실은, 원고는 1987.12.24.경 당시 그가 소속되어 있는 참가인 회사 안양공장 콘넥타실의 반장인 소외 1의 부하직원에 대한 태도를 비난하면서 동인의 인격과 사생활을 침해하고 근거가 뚜렷하지 못한 내용을 포함시킨 인쇄물을 작성하여 소속실 직원들에게 회람시켜 서명을 받았고, 노동조합 안양지부 교육선전부 차장이던 소외 2가 구속된 노조위원장 소외 3의 재판 방청을 위하여 집단으로 월차휴가를 실시하여 방청할 것을 권유하고 위 소외 3의 구속이 계속될 경우 워크삽, 교육거부 등을 하자는 내용의 인쇄물을 노동조합의 지시 없이 독자적으로 작성하였는데 원고는 이와 같은 사실을 알면서도 사전에 참가인 회사에 위 인쇄물 배포를 통보하지 아니한 채 1989.6.20.과 그 다음날인 21. 2회에 걸쳐 700여 매의 인쇄물을 배포하고, 이에 동조한 근로자 116명 가량이 사업장을 무단이탈함으로써 참가인 회사의 정상조업이 크게 방해받았다는 것인바, 원고가 작성하여 회람시킨 인쇄물이 위와 같이 회사간부의 명예를 훼손하는 내용으로서 그 중 일부는 근거가 없는 것이고, 또 원고가 배포한 인쇄물은 참가인 회사와 노동조합 또는 근로자 사이의 근로관계와는 직접관계가 없는 사항과 관련하여 집단적으로 월차휴가를 실시할 것을 선동하는 내용인 데다가 취업규칙에 정한 사전통보절차도 밟지 않았고 그 결과 다수의 근로자가 이에 동조하여 사업장을 무단이탈함으로써 참가인 회사 업무의 정상적인 운영에 지장을 주었다면 원고의 위 유인물배포행위를 정당한 조합활동이라고 할 수 없을 것이므로, 같은 취지의 원심판단은 정당하고 이를 탓하는 논지는 받아들일 수 없다.

2. 상고이유 제3과 제4의 가. 무단시위, 업무방해, 출장명령거부의 점에 대하여

기록에 비추어 살펴보면, 원심이 원고가 참가인 회사의 업무를 방해하였다고 인정한 사실인정과 판단은 정당하게 수긍이 되는바, 원고가 허가 없이 사업장 내에서 판시와 같이 불법으로 시위하고 징계위원회장에 무단입장하려는 과정에서 징계위원회 회의진행을 방해한 행위는 그와 같은 행위를 하게 된 동기를 참작하더라도 정당한 노동조합활동이라고 인정할 수는 없으므로 같은 취지의 원심판단은 정당하고 소론과 같은 법리오해의 위법이 있다고 할 수 없다.

출장명령은 사용자의 업무명령권에 속하는 것으로 업무상 필요하다고 인정되는 상당한 범위 안에서는 사용자에게 재량이 인정되어야 하고 그것이 근로계약에 위반되거나 권리의 남용이라고 인정되는 등의 특별한 사정이 없는 한 근로자는 이에 따라야 할 성실의무 및 노무제공의무가 있다고 할 것이다.

원심이 확정한 사실에 의하면, 참가인 회사는 거래처인 소외 호남정유주식회사 여천공장에서 1989.8.9. 제기한 전압케이블 내압불량에 관한 클레임을 처리하기 위하여 같은 해 5월말부터 6월초까지 사이에 위 공장에 가서 전압케이블 아프터서비스를 한 바 있는 원고에게 출장명령을 하였으나 원고는 징계를 받아 기분이 나쁘고 참가인 회사와 사전합의도 안된 노조간부수련회 참가 등을 내세워 위 출장명령을 거부하였다는 것인바, 위와 같은 출장명령 거부행위를 노동조합 활동이라고 볼 수도 없을 뿐만 아니라 참가인 회사가 한 출장명령은 거래처가 제기한 클레임을 신속히 처리할 필요가 있어 사전에 준비기간을 충분히 주기 어려운 데다가 참가인 회사가 원고를 출장대상자로 지명한 기준도 타당하다고 인정되므로, 원고가 정직 10일의 징계를 받아 기분이 나쁘다는 개인적인 감정과 참가인 회사와 사전합의도 되지 않은 노동조합의 행사를 이유로 위 출장명령을 거부한 것을 정당하다고 할 수는 없다. 논지는 이유 없다.

3. 상고이유 제4의 나. 징계권 남용의 점에 대하여

사용자가 근로자의 정당한 노동조합활동을 이유로 삼았거나 또는 근로자의 노동조합업무를 위한 정당한 행위를 결정적 이유로 삼았으면서도 표면적으로는 다른 사유를 들어 해고, 전직 등의 불이익취급을 하였다면 이는 부당노동행위에 해당되는 것임은 소론의 지적과 같다.

이 사건에 관하여 보면 앞에서 살펴 본 바와 같이 참가인 회사는 정당한 조합활동을 원고에 대한 해고사유로 삼았거나, 실질적으로 정당한 조합활동을 이유로 해고하였다고도 인정되지 아니하므로, 참가인 회사의 원고에 대한 징계해고 조치는 부당노동행위가 될 수 없다할 것이니 그것이 징계의 재량권을 남용한 것이라는 주장은 징계처분의 효력을 다투는 사유로서는 몰라도 부당노동행위가 되는지 여부에는 영향을 미칠 수 없으므로(당원 1990.9.14. 선고 89누6679 판결 참조) 논지는 이유 없다.

그러므로 상고를 기각하고, 상고비용은 패소자의 부담으로 하기로 관여 법관의 의견이 일치되어 주문과 같이 판결한다.

대법관 박만호(재판장) 박우동 김상원 윤영철

Related statutes

Similar cases

Cases with high content similarity to this one.

#1
98구23849 · 서울행법 1999-02-25
Revocation of Retrial Decision on Unfair Dismissal Remedy
#2
90구14449 · 서울고법 1992-01-17
Revocation of Retrial Decision on Unfair Labor Practice Reme
#3
92누4253 · 대법원 1992-06-23
부당노동행위구제재심판정등취소
#4
95누16738 · 대법원 1996-09-10
Revocation of Retrial Decision on Unfair Labor Practice Reme
#5
2017두37031 · 대법원 2018-12-27
Revocation of Retrial Decision on Unfair Labor Practice Reme

Cases citing this decision

98다54960 · 대법원 2000-06-23
Confirmation of Invalidity of Dismissal, etc.
98구23849 · 서울행법 1999-02-25
Revocation of Retrial Decision on Unfair Dismissal Remedy
96누11778 · 대법원 1997-12-23
Revocation of Retrial Decision on Unfair Dismissal Remedy
96누4220 · 대법원 1997-03-28
Revocation of Reexamination Decision on Remedy for Unfair La
95다11504 · 대법원 1996-09-24
Confirmation of Invalidity of Recommended Resignation (권고사직등

Related tools & guides

AI answers need an account (free accounts: 2 per month) — submit and you'll return to this question after logging in. Search and case reading stay free.

Cross-check the original: 국가법령정보센터 (auxiliary link)