Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 91누10473

Revocation of Reexamination Ruling on Unfair Labor Practice Remedy부당노동행위구제재심판정취소

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.

Branch chairmen of a health insurance labor union carried out a collective action disguised as taking monthly paid leave (월차휴가) en masse, which effectively paralyzed business operations. Because the union did not follow the legally required procedures for a strike (쟁의행위), the Supreme Court held that this action could not be recognized as legitimate union activity (정당한 조합활동), and ruled that the employer's disciplinary pay cut did not constitute an unfair labor practice (부당노동행위).

Key takeaways
  • CaseIncident: Branch chairmen of a health insurance labor union paralyzed business operations by collectively taking monthly paid leave as a form of strike, without following legal strike procedures.
  • OutcomeResult: The court ruled that collective action disguised as monthly leave was in substance a strike, and since it bypassed mandatory legal procedures, it was unlawful — making the employer's disciplinary action against the union leaders justified.
  • LessonLesson: Even when exercising a formal legal right, if a union's collective action is substantively a strike, it must still follow mandatory procedures such as a union member vote, official strike notice, and a cooling-off period.
Issues
  • Whether collective use of monthly paid leave, functioning as a disguised strike (쟁의적 준법투쟁), can be considered legitimate union activity
  • What are the requirements for establishing an unfair labor practice (부당노동행위)
Key reasoning

Although the union members formally exercised their statutory right to take monthly leave, the collective and coordinated manner in which they did so was, in substance, a strike (쟁의행위) aimed at disrupting business operations. Under Korean labor law, any action that functions as a strike must go through mandatory legal procedures, including a union member vote, formal strike notification, and a cooling-off period (조합원 투표, 쟁의신고, 냉각기간). Since these procedures were not followed, the collective leave-taking was unlawful. The Court emphasized that the action caused significant disruption to third parties, reinforcing that it could not be treated as legitimate union activity merely because it took the form of exercising an individual right. This case established the principle that even a formally lawful right, if exercised as a de facto strike, must still comply with the statutory strike procedures.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

a.
In the exercise of a worker's right to monthly leave under Article 47(1) of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법), if the leave is used as a pretext for a purpose other than the leave itself, this cannot be considered a legitimate exercise of the right to leave. Therefore, in order for a disciplinary action taken against workers on account of their collective use of monthly leave (a struggle-type compliance-with-law action in the nature of a labor dispute) to constitute an unfair labor practice under Article 39, Item 1 of the Trade Union Act (노동조합법), the act in question must possess legitimacy. In order for an industrial action to possess legitimacy, first, it must be conducted for the purpose of maintaining or improving working conditions, etc., in connection with collective bargaining, and such purpose must be legitimate; second, its timing and procedure must conform to statutory provisions and thus be legitimate; and third, its method and manner must fall within a legitimate scope, that is, must not involve violence or destructive acts or otherwise exhibit a high degree of anti-social character.

b.
Even though the collective use of monthly leave led by the Plaintiff and others was, in form, an exercise of the right to monthly leave, in substance it was aimed at achieving their demands by impeding the normal operation of the business of the medical insurance cooperatives (의료보험조합) that employed the Plaintiff and others as staff, and thus constituted an industrial action. In carrying out such industrial action, the labor union in which the Plaintiff served as branch chief did not decide on the action by a majority vote of union members through direct, secret, and unsigned balloting, nor did it go through the procedures of reporting the labor dispute and observing the cooling-off period, thereby rendering the action unlawful in terms of both timing and procedure. Moreover, as a result of the action, the business of the medical insurance cooperatives, the employer, was brought to a standstill, causing enormous disruption not only to the employer but also to the insured persons, who were third parties. In light of these circumstances, the court held that it was difficult to regard the aforementioned acts of the Plaintiff and others as legitimate acts.

Full text (English, AI translation) 6,988 chars

[Plaintiffs, Appellants]

[Defendant, Appellee] Chairman of the National Labor Relations Commission

[Defendant's Supplementary Intervenors] Seoul Special Metropolitan City Gangdong-gu Medical Insurance Cooperative and one other, Defendant's Supplementary Intervenors' Legal Representative Dongyang General Law Firm, Attorneys Kim Seong-gi and 4 others

[Judgment Below] Seoul High Court Judgment 90Gu23429 dated August 23, 1991

[Order]

All appeals are dismissed.

The costs of the appeal shall be borne by the Plaintiffs.

[Reasoning]

The Plaintiffs' grounds of appeal are examined.

1. As to the assertion of misapprehension of facts

According to the reasoning of the judgment below, the court below found, based on the evidence cited, the following facts: Plaintiff 1, who was employed as an employee of Defendant's Supplementary Intervenor Seoul Special Metropolitan City Gangdong-gu Medical Insurance Cooperative and served as the head of the Gangdong Branch of the non-party Seoul Regional Medical Insurance Labor Union (hereinafter referred to as "the non-party Labor Union"), and Plaintiff 2, who was employed as an employee of Defendant's Supplementary Intervenor Seoul Special Metropolitan City Guro-gu Medical Insurance Cooperative (hereinafter Defendant's Supplementary Intervenors are referred to as "the Intervenor Cooperatives") and served as the head of the Guro Branch of the non-party Labor Union, in accordance with the resolution of representatives of medical insurance labor unions of 12 regions nationwide and the resolution and instructions of the Central Steering Committee of the non-party Labor Union, sought to obstruct the normal medical insurance operations of the regional medical insurance cooperatives by means of collective monthly leave-taking by union members, in order, in the short term, to protest the employer side's non-implementation of monthly leave and the shortening of the basic recognized hours for calculating overtime allowances, and to achieve goals such as recognition of monthly leave and increase of overtime allowances, and, in the long term, to achieve goals such as the amendment of the Medical Insurance Act for the consolidation and abolition of medical insurance cooperatives and the enhancement of the union's bargaining capacity; that they encouraged union members to carry out collective monthly leave on May 23, 1990, and, accordingly, submitted the leave applications filed by union members to the Intervenor Cooperatives on May 22 of the same month; and that, notwithstanding the absence of approval by the Intervenor Cooperatives, on May 23 of the same month, more than 90% of the union members failed to report to work under the pretext of monthly leave, thereby causing the operations of the Intervenor Cooperatives to fall into a state of virtual paralysis. In light of the record of this case, the above fact-finding by the court below can be sufficiently accepted, and there is no illegality in violation of the rules of evidence therein. This ground of appeal is without merit.

2. As to the assertion of misapprehension of legal principles

(1)

Article 47, Paragraph 1 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) provides only that "an employer shall grant one day of paid leave per month," without imposing any special restrictions thereon; therefore, absent special circumstances, a worker may exercise the right to one day of monthly leave per month. However, if the monthly leave is used as a pretext for a purpose other than the leave itself, this cannot be regarded as a legitimate exercise of the right to leave.

Article 39, Item 1 of the Trade Union Act (노동조합법) provides, as one type of unfair labor practice, an act of disadvantaging a worker on the ground that the worker engaged in a legitimate act for the business of the labor union. Therefore, in order for a disciplinary action taken on the ground of such collective monthly leave (a so-called "compliance-with-the-law struggle" of a labor dispute nature) to constitute an unfair labor practice, the act in question must be legitimate. In order for an industrial action to be legitimate, first, it must be aimed, in connection with collective bargaining, at maintaining or improving working conditions, and its purpose must be legitimate; second, its timing and procedure must be legitimate, in accordance with the provisions of statutes; and third, its method and manner must fall within a legitimate scope, not accompanied by violence or destructive acts or other conduct of a highly antisocial nature (see this Court's Judgment 90Do357 dated May 15, 1990, etc.).

(2) According to the facts found by the court below, although the collective monthly leave led by the Plaintiffs was, in form, an exercise of the right to monthly leave, it must, in substance, be regarded as constituting an industrial action aimed at achieving the assertions of the Plaintiffs as indicated in the judgment below by obstructing the normal operation of the business of the Intervenor Cooperatives. As recognized by the record of this case, in carrying out such industrial action, the non-party Labor Union did not decide thereon by a majority vote of union members through direct, secret, and unsigned balloting as required under Article 12 of the Labor Dispute Mediation Act (노동쟁의조정법), and, furthermore, failed to go through the procedures of reporting the labor dispute and observing the cooling-off period as required under Article 16, Paragraph 1 and Article 14 of the same Act, thereby being unlawful in terms of timing and procedure and subject to the penal provisions under Articles 47 and 48 of the same Act. In addition, considering that this caused the business of the Intervenor Cooperatives, as employers, to fall into a state of paralysis, thereby causing enormous inconvenience not only to the employer side but also to the insured persons who were third parties, it is difficult to regard the Plaintiffs' above act as a legitimate act.

(3) In that case, since the above collective monthly leave cannot be regarded as a legitimate exercise of the right to leave or as a legitimate union activity, but rather falls under grounds for disciplinary action as stipulated in the Regional Medical Insurance Cooperative Operational Regulations, the judgment below, which held that the disciplinary actions of one month's salary reduction imposed by the Intervenor Cooperatives on the Plaintiffs on this ground do not constitute unfair labor practices, is somewhat insufficient in the statement of its reasoning, but its conclusion is justified. Accordingly, the grounds of appeal criticizing this from the opposite standpoint are without merit.

3. Therefore, all appeals are dismissed, and the costs of the appeal are to be borne by the Plaintiffs, the losing parties. This judgment is rendered as set forth in the Order, the opinions of the Justices involved being unanimous.

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

【판결요지】

가. 근로기준법 제47조 제1항의 규정에 의한 근로자의 월차휴가권의 행사에 있어, 휴가 자체가 목적이 아니라 다른 목적을 위하여 월차휴가를 빙자한 것이라면 이는 정당한 휴가권의 행사라 할 수 없으므로, 근로자들의 집단월차휴가(쟁의적 준법투쟁)를 이유로 한 불이익처분이 노동조합법 제39조 제1호 소정의 부당노동행위에 해당하려면 그 행위가 정당성을 갖추어야 하고, 쟁의행위가 정당성을 갖추기 위하여는 우선 단체교섭과 관련하여 근로조건의 유지, 개선 등을 목적으로 하는 것으로서 그 목적이 정당하여야 하고, 그 시기와 절차가 법령의 규정에 따른 것으로서 정당하여야 하며, 또 그 방법과 태양이 폭력이나 파괴행위를 수반하거나 기타 고도의 반사회성을 띤 행위가 아닌 정당한 범위 내의 것이어야 할 것이다.

나. 원고 등이 주도한 집단월차휴가가 형식적으로는 월차휴가를 행사하려는 것이었다고 하더라도, 실질적으로는 원고 등이 직원으로 고용된 의료보험조합들의 업무의 정상한 운영을 저해함으로써 그들의 주장을 관철할 목적으로 하는 것으로서 쟁의행위에 해당하고 원고가 지부장으로 종사하던 노동조합이 위와 같은 쟁의행위를 함에 있어서, 노조원들의 직접, 비밀, 무기명투표에 의한 과반수의 찬성으로 결정하지 않음은 물론, 노동쟁의의 신고 및 냉각기간의 경과 등의 절차를 거치지 않음으로써, 시기와 절차면에서 위법할 뿐만 아니라, 그로 인하여 사용자인 의료보험조합들의 업무를 마비상태에 빠지게 함으로써, 사용자측뿐만 아니라 제3자인 피보험자들에게 막대한 지장을 초래한 점 등을 감안하면, 원고 등의 위와 같은 행위를 정당한 행위로 보기는 어렵다고 한 사례.

【참조조문】

가.나. 노동조합법 제39조, 근로기준법 제47조 / 나. , 노동쟁의조정법 제3조, 제12조, 제14조, 제16조

【참조판례】

가.나. 대법원 1990.5.15. 선고 90도357 판결(공1990,1306) / 가. 대법원 1991.5.14. 선고 90누4006 판결(공1991,1654) / 나. 대법원 1991.7.9. 선고 91도1051 판결(공1991,2184), 1991.12.24. 선고 91도2323 판결(공1992,719)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 2,630자 · 펼쳐 보기

【원고, 상고인】

【피고, 피상고인】 중앙노동위원회 위원장

【피고보조참가인】 서울특별시 강동구 의료보험조합 외 1인 피고보조참가자들 소송대리인 동양종합법무법인 담당변호사 김성기 외 4인

【원심판결】 서울고등법원 1991.8.23. 선고 90구23429 판결

【주 문】

상고를 모두 기각한다.

상고비용은 원고들의 부담으로 한다.

【이 유】 원고들의 상고이유를 본다.

1. 사실오인의 주장에 대하여

원심판결 이유에 의하면, 원심은 거시 증거에 의하여 피고보조참가인 서울특별시 강동구 의료보험조합의 직원으로 고용되어 소외 서울지역 의료보험노동조합(이하에서는 소외 노동조합이라고 한다) 강동지부장으로 종사하던 원고 1과, 피고보조참가인 서울특별시 구로구 의료보험조합(이하에서는 피고보조참가인을 참가인 조합이라고 한다)의 직원으로 고용되어 소외 노동조합 구로지부장으로 종사하던 원고 2가, 전국 12개 시, 도지역 의료보험노동조합 대표들의 결의와 소외 노동조합 중앙운영위원회의결의 및 지시에 따라, 노동조합원들의 집단적인 월차휴가의 방법으로 지역의료보험조합의 정상적인 의료보험업무를 저해함으로써, 단기적으로는 사용자측의 월차휴가 미실시와 연장근로수당 계산을 위한 기본 인정시간단축에 항의하여 월차휴가인정 및 연장근로수당증액 등의 목표를 관철시키고, 장기적으로는 의료보험조합의 통·폐합을 위한 의료보험법의 개정 및 노동조합의 투쟁역량제고등의 목표를 달성하기 위하여, 1990.5.23.을 기하여 노동조합원들의 집단월차휴가 실시를 독려하고, 이에 따라 같은 달 22. 노조원들의 제출한 휴가원을 참가인 조합들에게 제출한 다음, 참가인 조합들의 승인이 없음에도 불구하고 같은 달 23. 노조원들의 90% 이상이 월차휴가의 명목으로 출근치 않게 함으로써, 참가인 조합들의 업무가 거의 마비상태에 빠지게 한 사실을 인정하였는바, 이 사건 기록에 비추어 보면 원심의 위와 같은 사실인정은 충분히 수긍할 수 있고, 거기에 채증법칙에 위배된 위법이 있다고 할 수 없다. 논지는 이유가 없다.

2. 법리오해의 주장에 대하여

(1) 근로기준법 제47조 제1항은 “사용자는 1월에 대하여 1일의 유급휴가를 주어야 한다”고 규정하고 있을 뿐 이에 관한 특별한 제한을 두고 있지 아니하므로, 특별한 사정이 없는 한 근로자는 1월에 1일의 월차휴가권을 행사할 수 있다고 할 것이나, 휴가 자체가 목적이 아니라 다른 목적을 위하여 월차휴가를 빙자한 것이라면 이는 정당한 휴가권의 행사라 할 수 없고, 노동조합법 제39조 제1호는 근로자가 노동조합의 업무를 위한 정당한 행위를 한 것을 이유로, 그 근로자에게 불이익을 주는 행위를 부당노동행위의 한 유형으로 규정하고있으므로, 위와 같은 집단월차휴가(소위 쟁의적 준법투쟁)를 이유로 한 불이익처분이 부당노동행위에 해당하려면 그 행위가 정당성을 갖추어야 하고, 쟁의행위가 정당성을 갖추기 위하여는 우선 단체교섭과 관련하여 근로조건의 유지, 개선 등을 목적으로 하는 것으로서 그 목적이 정당하여야 하고, 그 시기와 절차가 법령의 규정에 따른 것으로서 정당하여야 하며, 또 그 방법과 태양이 폭력이나 파괴행위를 수반하거나 기타 고도의 반사회성을 띤 행위가 아닌 정당한 범위 내의 것이어야 할 것이다 ( 당원 1990.5.15. 선고 90도357 판결 등 참조)

(2) 원심이 인정한 사실에 의하면, 원고들이 주도한 이 사건 집단월차휴가는 형식적으로는 월차휴가를 행사하려는 것이었다고 하더라도, 실질적으로는 참가인 조합들의 업무의 정상한 운영을 저해함으로써 원심판시와 같은 그들의 주장을 관철할 목적으로 하는 것으로써 쟁의행위에 해당한다고 보아야 할 것인데, 이 사건 기록에 의하여 인정되는 바와 같이 소외 노동조합이 위와 같은 쟁의행위를 함에 있어서, 노동쟁의조정법 제12조 소정의 노조원들의 직접, 비밀, 무기명투표에 의한 과반수의 찬성으로 결정하지 않음은 물론, 같은 법 제16조 제1항과 제14조 소정의 노동쟁의의 신고 및 냉각기간의 경과 등의 절차를 거치지 않음으로써, 시기와 절차면에서는 위법하여 같은 법 제47조, 제48조의 벌칙적용의 대상이 될 뿐만 아니라, 그로 인하여 사용자인 참가인 조합들의 업무를 마비상태에 빠지게 함으로써, 사용자측 뿐만 아니라 제3자인 피보험자들에게 막대한 지장을 초래한 점 등을 감안하면, 원고들의 위와 같은 행위를 정당한 행위로 보기는 어렵다고 할 것이다 .

(3) 그렇다면, 위 집단월차휴가가 정당한 휴가권의 행사 내지 정당한 조합활동으로 볼 수 없고, 오히려 지역의료보험조합운영규정에 정해진 징계사유에 해당하므로, 이를 이유로 하여 참가인 조합들이 원고들에 대하여 한 각 감봉 1월의 징계처분이 부당노동행위에 해당되지 않는다고 판단한 원심판결은 그 이유설시에 다소 미흡한 점이 있기는 하나 결론은 정당하다고 할 것이고, 따라서 반대의 취지에서 이를 비난하는 상고논지는 이유가 없다.

3. 그러므로 상고를 모두 기각하고 상고비용은 패소자인 원고들의 부담으로 하기로 관여 법관의 의견이 일치되어 주문과 같이 판결한다.

대법관 김상원(재판장) 박우동 윤영철 박만호

Related statutes

Similar cases

Cases with high content similarity to this one.

#1
92누11176 · 대법원 1994-02-22
Revocation of Retrial Decision on Unfair Labor Practice Reme
#2
96누587 · 대법원 1996-07-30
Revocation of Reexamination Decision on Unfair Labor Practic
#3
95누6151 · 대법원 1996-04-23
Revocation of Retrial Decision on Remedy for Unfair Labor Pr
#4
92다34940 · 대법원 1993-04-23
Confirmation of Invalidity of Dismissal
#5
91누5204 · 대법원 1992-01-21
Revocation of Reexamination Ruling on Remedy for Unfair Labo

Cases citing this decision

2003두8906 · 대법원 2003-12-26
부당해고등구제재심판정취소
99도4837 · 대법원 2001-10-25
Obstruction of Business (업무방해)
96누587 · 대법원 1996-07-30
Revocation of Reexamination Decision on Unfair Labor Practic
96도419 · 대법원 1996-05-10
폭력행위등처벌에관한법률위반·업무방해
95도2970 · 대법원 1996-02-27
Obstruction of Business (업무방해) and Violation of the Labor Di

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)