Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 90도2852

Violation of the Labor Dispute Mediation Act (노동쟁의조정법위반), Obstruction of Business (업무방해), and Violation of the Assembly and Demonstration Act (집회및시위에관한법률위반)노동쟁의조정법위반,업무방해, 집회및시위에관한법률위반

Decided1991. 01. 23. Court대법원Case remanded to the lower court (파기환송) — the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal on the obstruction of business charge and sent the case back for further proceedings.
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 labor union organized a mass early leave and collective use of monthly paid leave (월차휴가) to protest and demand the release of a fellow union member who had been detained. The Supreme Court ruled that this collective action did not qualify as a legitimate 'labor dispute act (쟁의행위)' under the Labor Dispute Mediation Act because its main purpose was not related to improving working conditions. However, the Court held that the mass refusal to work could still constitute the crime of obstruction of business (업무방해죄) under the Criminal Code.

Key takeaways
  • CaseUnion members collectively left work early and filed for monthly paid leave together to protest a colleague's detention and demand his release.
  • OutcomeThe Supreme Court found this was not a legally protected labor dispute act, but ruled it could still constitute criminal obstruction of business.
  • LessonCollective action by workers is only protected as a 'labor dispute act' when its primary goal concerns working conditions; using formally lawful rights (like paid leave) in a coordinated way for other purposes can still lead to criminal liability if it disrupts business operations.
Issues
  • Whether a mass early leave and collective absence organized to demand the release of a detained fellow worker constitutes a 'labor dispute act (쟁의행위)' under the Labor Dispute Mediation Act
  • Whether collective refusal to work, undertaken without a legitimate labor dispute purpose, can constitute the crime of obstruction of business (업무방해죄)
  • Whether the collective, coordinated use of monthly paid leave (월차유급휴가) to obstruct business operations is unlawful despite the formal legality of taking such leave
Key reasoning

Under the Labor Dispute Mediation Act, a 'labor dispute act' must be primarily aimed at maintaining or improving working conditions. Since the purpose of this collective action was to demand the release of a detained fellow worker—not to address employment terms—it did not meet the legal definition of a protected labor dispute act. Nevertheless, the Court reasoned that collectively refusing to work without a legitimate labor dispute purpose, thereby disrupting the employer's business operations, can still amount to the criminal offense of obstruction of business. The Court further clarified that even using a facially lawful right (such as applying for monthly paid leave) in a coordinated, mass manner to achieve an improper collective goal does not shield the conduct from criminal liability if it substantially interferes with business operations.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

a. An industrial action prescribed in Article 3 of the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act (勞動爭議調整法) refers to an act performed by a party to a labor dispute for the purpose of achieving its demands, and here "demands" should be construed to mean the claims between the parties to a labor relationship concerning working conditions such as wages, working hours, welfare, dismissal, and other treatment as prescribed in Article 2 of the same Act. Accordingly, an industrial action that does not have as its main purpose the maintenance or improvement of such working conditions cannot be deemed an industrial action subject to regulation under the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act. In this case, where the defendant, as the chairman of the labor union, together with union members engaged in industrial actions such as collective early leave, absence from work through applications for monthly paid leave, and rallies, and where these actions were mainly conducted for the purpose of protesting the fact that the prosecutor's requested sentence at the appellate trial for a detained worker had become heavier than that at the first instance, and for urging his release, the defendant's acts cannot be regarded as an industrial action whose main purpose was the maintenance or improvement of working conditions, and therefore do not constitute an industrial action subject to the application of the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act.

b. Where a large number of workers, acting in concert with one another for a purpose other than the objectives of an industrial action, such as the maintenance or improvement of working conditions, collectively and simultaneously refuse to provide labor by taking early leave or being absent from work, thereby impeding the normal operation of the company's business, such conduct must be deemed to constitute obstruction of business by force of a crowd (多衆의 威力).

c. Under the Labor Standards Act (勤勞基準法), the use of monthly paid leave is left to the free will of the worker, and, unlike annual paid leave, the employer does not even have the authority to change the timing thereof. Nevertheless, where, without any legitimate purpose of industrial action, and solely for the purpose of using it as a means of obstructing business, a large number of workers collectively and simultaneously apply for monthly paid leave and are absent from work en masse, thereby impeding the normal operation of the company's business, such conduct cannot but be found to constitute obstruction of business.

Full text (English, AI translation) 13,785 chars

[Defendant] Defendant

[Appellant] Defendant and Prosecutor

[Defense Counsel] Attorney Moon Jae-in and 1 other

[Original Judgment] Busan High Court Decision 90No785, decided November 22, 1990

[Order]

The guilty portion of the original judgment concerning the Defendant and the not-guilty portion concerning the offense of interference with business are reversed, and this portion of the case is remanded to the Busan High Court.

The remainder of the Prosecutor's appeal is dismissed.

[Reasoning]

1. As to the Defendant's first ground of appeal.

(1) According to the reasoning of the judgment below, the court below held that an "industrial action" as prescribed in Article 3 of the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act (노동쟁의조정법) refers to an act performed by a party to a labor relationship for the purpose of achieving its demands, which impedes the normal operation of business, and that, unlike in the case of a "labor dispute" under Article 2 of the same Act, such "demands" are not limited to matters concerning working conditions. Accordingly, the court below held that where workers, acting with united intent, impede the normal operation of business for the purpose of obtaining a more favorable judgment for fellow workers who are on trial, this constitutes an industrial action, and that the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act concerning restrictions and prohibitions on industrial action apply to such industrial action. Upon considering the evidence cited, the court below found the following facts: the Defendant, who was elected chairperson in the election of the 5th executive leadership of the labor union of Non-Indicted Company 1 (hereinafter "Non-Indicted Company 1") around January 19, 1990, conspired with Non-Indicted Person 2, senior vice-chairperson of the said labor union, and others, and from around 15:00 to 17:00 on February 6, 1990, held and presided over an extraordinary delegates' meeting attended by 151 delegates of the said labor union in the conference room on the 5th floor of the new building of Non-Indicted Company 1. At that meeting, in light of the facts that (i) at the appellate closing trial of Non-Indicted Person 3 and four others held at the Busan High Court around the 5th of the same month, the sentences requested by the prosecutor for Non-Indicted Persons 4 and 5 were increased compared to those requested at the first instance; (ii) Non-Indicted Company 1 refused to approve the inauguration and outgoing ceremony of the 4th and 5th labor union chairpersons scheduled to be held at 13:00 on the 10th of the same month, on the ground that it fell during working hours; and (iii) the labor union demanded that 47 persons be recognized as full-time union officials, whereas the company sought to recognize only 21 as such, the Defendant, using these matters as a pretext and with the purpose of exercising physical force to achieve the labor union's demands and to gain the upper hand in the forthcoming wage negotiations, resolved on a course of action consisting of: first, having all members leave work early at around 10:00 on February 7, 1990 and assemble at the Non-Indicted Company 1 general athletic field by around 10:30 the same day to hold a rally; and second, having all members apply for monthly paid leave on the 8th of the same month and assemble in front of the main gate of the Busan High Court by around 08:30 that day. The Defendant then had this course of action published in the labor union's bulletin "Democratic Voyage Express" (민주항해속보), No. 164, dated February 7, and had it distributed to the workers of Non-Indicted Company 1 by about 50 senior executive committee members of the labor union at the main gate of Non-Indicted Company 1 and other places from around 07:00 to 08:00 on the same day. Pursuant to this course of action, on the same day (February 7) around 10:00, approximately 10,000 workers were caused to collectively stop working and assemble at the said athletic field to attend the so-called report meeting on the resolutions of the delegates' meeting, after which all of them left work around 12:00; and from around 08:00 to 10:00 the same day, approximately 12,000 workers were caused to collectively submit applications for monthly leave, and on the following day, February 8, they did not report to work but instead assembled in front of the main gate of the Busan High Court, thereby impeding the normal operation of Non-Indicted Company 1's business. The court below found that this constituted engaging in industrial action without obtaining the approval of a majority of union members through direct, secret, and unsigned ballot, and accordingly applied and punished the act under Article 47 and Article 12(1) of the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act and Article 30 of the Criminal Act (형법).

(2) However, an "industrial action" prescribed in Article 3 of the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act is an act performed by a party to an industrial dispute for the purpose of achieving its "demands," and such "demands" should be understood to mean demands between the parties to a labor relationship concerning working conditions such as wages, working hours, welfare, dismissal, and other matters of treatment as prescribed in Article 2 of the same Act. Accordingly, industrial action that does not have as its principal purpose the maintenance or improvement of such working conditions does not constitute an "industrial action" subject to regulation under the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act.

Among the evidence adopted by the court below, the interrogation record of the Defendant taken by the prosecutor (including the "Rally for the Release of Detained Workers" cited in the interrogation and attached at pages 9 through 18 of the investigation record) and the contents of the "Democratic Voyage Express" attached to the case record show that, at the extraordinary delegates' meeting of February 6, 1990 as found by the court below, matters such as the sentence recommendations for the detained workers, the number of full-time union officials, and the inauguration/outgoing ceremony of the union chairperson were discussed; however, it is recognized that the industrial actions found by the court below—namely, the collective early leave, absence from work through monthly leave applications, and rallies—were carried out mainly for the purpose of protesting the fact that the appellate sentence recommendations for the detained workers were higher than those at the first instance, and of demanding their release. In light of this, the Defendant's conduct as found by the court below cannot be regarded as industrial action whose principal purpose was the maintenance or improvement of working conditions, and thus does not fall within the scope of "industrial action" to which the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act applies.

Consequently, the judgment below contains an error of law affecting the judgment due to a misunderstanding of the legal principles concerning industrial action, and since this ground of appeal is well-founded, the guilty portion of the judgment below concerning the Defendant cannot but be reversed, without need to examine the Defendant's remaining grounds of appeal.

2. As to the Prosecutor's grounds of appeal.

(1) According to the reasoning of the judgment below, with respect to the portion of the charges alleging that the Defendant, in conspiracy with Non-Indicted Person 2 and others, in accordance with the course of action resolved at the aforementioned labor union delegates' meeting as found by the court below, caused workers belonging to the said labor union to collectively leave work early or apply for monthly leave, thereby, through the force of numbers, impeding the normal business operations of Non-Indicted Company 1 for 18 hours—from around 10:00 to 18:00 on February 7, 1989 [sic, 1990] and from around 08:00 to 18:00 on the following day—the court below held as follows: the offense of interference with business (업무방해죄) is established by spreading false information or by other fraudulent means damaging a person's credit, or by force impeding another's business; and "force" here means, in light of the offender's standing, number of persons, and surrounding circumstances, force on the part of the offender sufficient to suppress the victim's free will. In light of the facts found, even if, in accordance with the resolution of the delegates' meeting of the labor union to which the Defendant belonged, the workers of Non-Indicted Company 1 did not report to work during their scheduled working hours and instead attended the trial as spectators, thereby causing disruption to Non-Indicted Company 1's operations, there is no room to view this as the workers having been prevented from performing their duties against their will as a result of fraudulent means or force by the Defendant; rather, it appears that the workers, sympathizing with the resolution of the labor union delegates' meeting, voluntarily left work early or submitted monthly leave applications and attended the trial as spectators. There is also no material whatsoever showing that, in the course of attending the trial, the workers exercised force through numbers so as to obstruct the work of other workers or company staff who wished to work rather than attend the trial. Accordingly, even though the workers' failure to work during working hours and their attendance at the trial, pursuant to the resolution of the labor union delegates' meeting led by the Defendant, caused disruption to Non-Indicted Company 1's operations, the offense of interference with business cannot be found to have been established with respect to the Defendant's conduct as described above; therefore, this portion of the charges either does not constitute a crime or lacks proof of the criminal facts.

(2) However, where a large number of workers, for a purpose other than an industrial action purpose such as the maintenance or improvement of working conditions, communicate with one another and, acting collectively, refuse to provide labor by simultaneously leaving work early or being absent from work en masse, thereby impeding the normal operation of the company's business, this should be regarded as interference with business by force of numbers.

According to the charges, the Defendant, as chairperson of the labor union, in accordance with the resolution of the labor union delegates' meeting, distributed the "Democratic Voyage Express," which published a course of action directing workers to leave work early en masse and hold a rally on February 7, 1990, and to apply for monthly leave en masse and assemble in front of the main gate of the Busan High Court on the 8th of the same month, and thereby caused a large number of workers who sympathized with this to leave work early or be absent from work. Unless the purpose of such collective action was to achieve demands concerning working conditions or other labor relations matters, thereby constituting industrial action under the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act, the Defendant, as one who caused the conspiracy and execution of interference with business by the force of collective action, cannot be relieved of criminal liability therefor; and the Defendant does not bear liability for the offense of interference with business only where, as stated by the court below, the Defendant exercised fraudulent means or force upon the workers to cause them to engage in collective action.

Although the use of monthly paid leave under the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) is left to the free will of the worker, and, unlike annual paid leave, the employer has no authority even to change the timing thereof, nevertheless, where, absent any legitimate industrial action purpose, a large number of workers collectively and simultaneously apply for monthly paid leave and are absent from work en masse solely as a means of interfering with business, thereby impeding the normal operation of the company's business, this cannot but be found to constitute the offense of interference with business.

The court below should have examined these points further in determining whether the offense of interference with business was established; however, without doing so, it rendered its judgment as described above, thereby committing an error of law affecting the judgment due to a misunderstanding of the legal principles governing the offense of interference with business and a failure to exhaust necessary deliberation. This ground of appeal is well-founded.

(3) The remaining grounds of appeal argue that the court below violated the rules of evidence and erred in its fact-finding with respect to the portion of the judgment acquitting the Defendant, on the ground that there was no evidence to establish the Defendant's conspiracy, regarding the charge of violation of the Labor Dispute Adjustment Act arising from industrial action conducted outside the workplace and the charge of violation of the Assembly and Demonstration Act (집회및시위에관한법률). However, upon examining the evidence relied upon and rejected by the court below as reflected in the record, the judgment of the court below is acceptable, and there is no error as alleged in the argument. Accordingly, this ground of appeal is without merit.

3. Therefore, accepting the Defendant's appeal and part of the Prosecutor's appeal, the guilty portion of the judgment below concerning the Defendant and the not-guilty portion concerning the offense of interference with business are reversed and remanded, and the remainder of the Prosecutor's appeal is dismissed. This judgment is rendered as stated in the Order by the unanimous opinion of the participating Justices.

Justice Kim Sang-won (Presiding Justice), Lee Hoi-chang, Bae Seok, Kim Ju-han

【판결요지】

가. 쟁의조정법 제3조에 규정된 쟁의행위는 쟁의관계 당사자가 그 주장을 관철 할 목적으로 행하는 행위로서 여기에서 그 주장이라 함은 같은 법 제2조에 규정된 임금·근로시간·후생·해고 기타 대우 등 근로조건에 관한 노동관계 당사자간의 주장을 의미한다고 볼 것이므로, 위와 같은 근로조건의 유지 또는 향상을 주된 목적으로 하지 않는 쟁의행위는 노동쟁의조정법의 규제대상인 쟁의행위에 해당하지 않는다고 보아야 할 것인바, 피고인이 노동조합의 위원장으로서 조합원들과 함게 한 집단조퇴, 월차휴가신청에 의한 결근 및 집회 등 쟁의행위가 주로 구속 근로자에 대한 항소심구형량이 1심보다 무거워진 것에 대한 항의와 석방 촉구를 목적으로 이루어진 것이라면 피고인의 행위는 근로조건의 유지 또는 향상을 주된 목적으로 한 쟁의행위라고 볼 수 없어 노동쟁의조정법의 적용대상인 쟁의행위에 해당하지 않는다고 할 것이다.

나. 근로조건의 유지 또는 향상 등 쟁의행위의 목적이 아닌 다른 목적을 위하여 다수 근로자들이 상호 의사연락하에 집단적으로 일시에 조퇴하거나 결근하는 등 노무제공을 거부함으로써 회사업무의 정상적인 운영을 저해하였다면 이는 다중의 위력에 의한 업무방해행위에 해당한다고 보아야 할 것이다.

다. 근로기준법상 월차유급휴가의 사용은 근로자의 자유의사에 맡겨진 것으로서 연차유급휴가와는 달리 사용자에게 그 시기를 변경할 수 있는 권한조차 없는 것이지만, 정당한 쟁의행위의 목적이 없이 오직 업무방해의 수단으로 이용하기 위하여 다수의 근로자가 집단적으로 일시에 월차유급휴가를 신청하여 일제히 결근함으로써 회사 업무의 정상적인 운영을 저해한 경우에는 업무방해행위를 구성한다고 볼 수밖에 없다.

【참조조문】

가.나.다. 노동쟁의조정법 제2조, 제3조 / 나.다. 형법 제314조

【주문】·【이유】 전문 5,328자 · 펼쳐 보기

【피 고 인】 피고인

【상 고 인】 피고인 및 검사

【변 호 인】 변호사 문재인 외 1인

【원심판결】 부산고등법원 1990.11.22. 선고 90노785 판결

【주 문】

원심판결 중 피고인에 대한 유죄부분과 업무방해죄에 관한 무죄부분을 파기하고 이 부분 사건을 부산고등법원에 환송한다.

검사의 나머지 상고를 기각한다.

【이 유】 1. 피고인의 상고이유 1점을 본다.

(1) 원심판결 이유에 의하면 원심은 노동쟁의조정법 제3조 소정의 쟁의행위라 함은 노동관계 당사자가 그 주장을 관철할 목적으로 행하는 행위로서 업무의 정상한 운영을 저해하는 것을 말하고 그 주장은 동법 제2조의 노동쟁의의 경우와는 달리 근로조건에 관한 주장에 한정되지 아니하는 것이므로 재판을 받고 있는 동료 근로자들에게 보다 유리한 판결결과를 얻기 위하여 근로자들의 단결된 의사로 업무의 정상한 운영을 저해하는 행위를 한 경우에는 쟁의행위에 해당하는 것으로서 위와 같은 쟁의행위에 대하여는 노동쟁의조정법 제2장 소정의 쟁의행위의 제한금지에 관한 제 규정이 적용된다고 판시하고 그 거시증거를 종합하여 피고인은 1990.1.19.경 공소외 1주식회사(이하 공소외 1 회사라고한다) 노동조합의 제5대 집행부선거에서 위원장으로 선출된 자로서 위 노동조합 수석부위원장인 공소외 2 등과 공모하여 1990.2.6. 15:00경부터 17:00경까지 공소외 1 회사 신관 5층 회의실에서 위 노동조합 대의원 151명이 참가한 가운데 임시 대의원 간담회를 개최하고 이를 주재하면서 같은 달 5. 경 부산고등법원에서 개정된 공소외 3 등 5명에 대한 항소심 결심공판에서 공소외 4, 5에 대한 구형량이 1심 구형량보다 상향되고, 같은 달 10. 13:00경 개최예정인 공소외 1 회사 제 4, 5대 노동조합위원장 이·취임식을 근무시간중이라는 이유로 공소외 1 회사측에서 승인하지 아니하며, 위 노동조합이 노동조합 전임자 47명을 요구하는데 반하여 위 회사측은 전임자로 21명만 인정하려 하자, 이를 빌미로 실력을 행사하여 위 노동조합의 요구사항을 관철하고 향후 임금협상에 대비하여 기선을 제압할 목적으로 첫째 1990.2.7. 10:00경 전원 조기퇴근한 후 같은 날 10:30경까지 공소외 1 회사 종합운동장에 집결하여 집회를 개최하고, 둘째 같은 달 8.에는 전원 월차휴가를 신청하여 같은 날 08:30경까지 부산고등법원 정문 앞에 집결하기로 하는 등 행동지침을 결의한 후, 같은 달 7.자 위 노동조합 소식지인 "민주항해속보" 제164호에 위 행동지침을 게재하여 같은달 7. 07:00경부터 08:00경까지 공소외 1 회사 정문 등지에서 위 노동조합 상무 집행위원 50여명 등이 이를 공소외 1 회사 근로자들에게 배포하게 함으로써 위 행동지침에 따라 같은 달 7. 10:00경 근로자 10,000여명으로 하여금 집단으로 조업을 중단하고 위 종합운동장에 집결하게 하여 소위 대의원 간담회 결의사항 보고대회에 참석한 후 같은 날 12:00경 전원 퇴근하게 하고, 같은 날 08:00경부터 10:00경까지 사이에 근로자 12,000여명으로 하여금 집단으로 월차휴가 신청서를 제출한 후 다음날인 2.8. 회사에 출근하지 아니하고 위 부산고등법원 정문 앞에 집결하여 공소외 1 회사의 정상한 운영을 저해함으로써 조합원의 직접, 비밀, 무기명투표에 의한 과반수의 찬성 없이 쟁의행위를 한 사실을 인정한 다음, 위 행위에 대하여 노동쟁의조정법 제47조, 제12조 제1항, 형법 제30조를 적용 처단하였다.

(2) 그러나 노동쟁의조정법 제3조에 규정된 쟁의행위는 쟁의관계 당사자가 그 주장을 관철할 목적으로 행하는 행위로서 여기에서 그 주장이라 함은 같은 법 제2조에 규정된 임금·근로시간·후생·해고 기타 대우 등 근로조건에 관한 노동관계 당사자간의 주장을 의미한다고 볼 것이므로, 위와 같은 근로조건의 유지 또는 향상을 주된 목적으로 하지않는 쟁의행위는 노동쟁의조정법의 규제대상인 쟁의행위에 해당하지 않는다고 보아야 할 것이다.

원심이 채용한 증거 중 검사의 피고인에 대한 피의자신문조서(피의자신문에서 인용한 수사기록 9 내지 18면 편철 "구속근로자석방궐기대회" 포함) 기재와 기록에 편철된 민주항해속보 기재내용에 의하면 원심판시 1990.2.6.자 임시 대의원간담회에서 구속근로자에 대한 구형량문제, 노동조합 전임자수의 문제 및 노조위원장의 이·취임식문제 등이 거론되었으나 원심판시와 같은 집단조퇴, 월차휴가신청에 의한 결근 및 집회 등 쟁의행위는 주로 구속근로자에 대한 항소심구형량이 1심보다 무거워진 것에 대한 항의와 석방촉구를 목적으로 이루어진 사실이 인정되므로, 이에 의하면 피고인의 판시 행위는 근로조건의 유지 또는 향상을 주된 목적으로 한 쟁의행위라고 볼 수 없어 노동쟁의조정법의 적용대상인 쟁의행위에 해당하지 않는다고 할 것이다.

결국 원심판결에는 쟁의행위에 관한 법리오해로 판결에 영향을 미친 위법이 있고 이 점에 관한 논지는 이유있으므로 피고인의 다른 상고논지에 관한 판단을 할 필요도 없이 원심판결중 피고인 의 유죄부분은 파기를 면치 못한다.

2. 검사의 상고이유를 본다.

(1) 원심판결이유에 의하면 원심은 이 사건 공소사실 중 피고인이 공소외 2 등과 공모하여 위에서 본 원심인정사실과 같이 위 노동조합대의원 간담회에서 결정한 행동지침에 따라 위 노동조합소속 근로자들로 하여금 집단으로 조기 퇴근하게 하거나 월차휴가를 신청하게 함으로써 다중의 위력으로 1989.2.7. 10:00경부터 18:00경까지 및 다음날 08:00경부터 18:00경까지 18시간동안 공소외 1 회사의 정상적인 업무를 방해하였다는 사실에 대하여, 업무방해죄는 허위의 사실을 유포하거나 기타 위계로써 사람의 신용을 훼손하는 방법 또는 위력으로 타인의 업무를 방해함으로써 성립하는 범죄로서 여기서 위력이라 함은 범인의 위세, 인원수 및 주위의 정황에 비추어 피해자의 자유의사를 제압하는데 족한 범인측의 세력을 의미한다고 전제하고, 위 인정사실에 비추어 피고인이 소속된 위 노동조합대의원 간담회의 결정에 따라 공소외 1회사 소속 근로자들이 그 일과시간에 작업에 임하지 아니하고 위 공판을 방청함으로 인하여 공소외 1 회사의 조업에 차질을 가져 왔다고 하더라도, 위 근로자들이 피고인의 위계 또는 위력의 결과 그 의사에 반하여 업무를 수행하지 못하게 된 것이라고 볼 여지는 전혀 없고 오히려 위 근로자들이 위 노동조합대의원 간담회의 결정에 동조하여 자발적으로 위와 같이 조기퇴근하거나 월차휴가신청서를 제출하고 위 공판을 방청한 것으로 보여지며, 그밖에 달리 위 근로자들이 위와 같이 공판에 참석하는 과정에 다중의 위력을 행사하여 위 공판을 방청하지 아니하고 작업에 임하고자 하는 다른 근로자들이나 회사측 직원들의 업무수행을 방해하였다고 볼 자료도 전혀 없는 터이므로, 위에서 본 바와 같이 피고인이 주도한 노동조합대의원 간담회의 결의에 따라 그 작업시간에 근로자들이 작업에 임하지 아니하고 공판에 참석한 결과 공소외 1 회사의 조업에 차질을 가져왔다고 하더라도 피고인의 위와 같은 행위에 대하여 업무방해죄가 성립할 수는 없다고 할 것이어서 이 부분 공소사실은 범죄로 되지 아니하거나 범죄사실의 증명이 없는 경우에 해당한다고 판단하였다.

(2) 그러나 근로조건의 유지 또는 향상 등 쟁의행위의 목적이 아닌 다른 목적을 위하여 다수 근로자들이 상호 의사연락하에 집단적으로 일시에 조퇴하거나 결근하는 등 노무제공을 거부함으로써 회사업무의 정상적인 운영을 저해하였다면 이는 다중의 위력에 의한 업무방해행위에 해당한다고 보아야 할 것이다.

위 공소사실에 의하면 피고인은 노동조합의 위원장으로서 노동조합대의원 간담회에서 결의된 바에 따라 근로자들에게 1990. 2.7.에 전원 조기퇴근하여 집회를 개최하고 또 그달 8.에 전원 월차휴가를 신청하여 부산고등법원 정문앞에 집결키로 하는 내용의 행동지침을 게재한 "민주항해속보"를 배포하여 이에 동조한 다수 근로자들로 하여금 조기퇴근 또는 결근케 하였다는 것이므로, 위와 같은 집단행동의 목적이 근로조건 등 근로관계에 관한 주장의 관철을 목적으로 한 것으로서 노동쟁의조정법상의 쟁의행위에 해당한다면 모르되 그렇지 않는 한 피고인은 집단행동의 위력에 의한 업무방해를 공모실행케 한 자로서 그 죄책을 면할 수 없는 것이며, 원심판시와 같이 피고인이 근로자들에게 위계 또는 위력을 행사하여 집단행동을 하게 한 경우에만 업무방해죄의 죄책을 지는 것은 아니다.

근로기준법상 월차유급휴가의 사용은 근로자의 자유의사에 맡겨진 것으로서 연차유급휴가와는 달리 사용자에게 그 시기를 변경할 수 있는 권한조차 없는 것이지만, 위와 같이 정당한 쟁의행위의 목적이 없이 오직 업무방해의 수단으로 이용하기 위하여 다수의 근로자가 집단적으로 일시에 월차유급휴가를 신청하여 일제히 결근함으로써 회사업무의 정상적인 운영을 저해한 경우에는 업무방해행위를 구성한다고 볼 수밖에 없다.

원심으로서는 위와 같은 점을 좀더 살펴서 업무방해죄의 성립 여부를 판단하였어야 함에도 불구하고 이에 이름이 없이 위와 같이 판단하고 말았음은 업무방해죄의 법리오해와 심리미진으로 판결에 영향을 미친 위법을 저지른 것으로서 이 점에 관한 논지는 이유있다.

(3) 이밖에 논지는 원심이 이 사건 공소사실 중 사업장 이외의 장소에서의 쟁의행위로 인한 노동쟁의조정법위반의 점 및 집회및시위에관한법률위반의 점에 관하여 피고인의 공모사실을 인정할 증거가 없다는 이유로 무죄를 선고한 부분에 채증법칙을 위반하여 사실을 오인한 위법이 있다는 것이나, 기록에 의하여 원심이 취사한 증거관계를 살펴보면 원심의 판단에 수긍이 가고 소론과 같은 위법이 없으므로 위 논지는 이유없다.

3. 그러므로 피고인의 상고 및 검사의 상고일부를 받아들여 원심판결 중 피고인에 대한 유죄부분과 업무방해죄에 관한 무죄부분을 파기환송하고 검사의 나머지 상고를 기각하기로 하여 관여 법관의 일치된 의견으로 주문과 같이 판결한다.

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