Lawyer and Writer Yoon Ji-young on 'This Sentence Right Now'

A lawyer sharply criticizes a recent Supreme Court ruling that denies subcontracted workers the right to engage in collective bargaining. The decision, issued the day after a wage agreement at Samsung Electronics, is described as a "dagger in the backs of non-regular workers."

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This ruling was a dagger in the backs of non-regular workers.

According to the ruling, only unions at large corporations and for regular employees can fully exercise labor rights. The lawyer points to the interpretation of the revised Trade Union Act, known as the "Yellow Envelope Law," which aimed to include entities previously not considered employers under the law. However, the Supreme Court interpreted the revision as including individuals not originally considered employers, a move the lawyer dismisses as a "lazy and cowardly excuse."

The article suggests the Supreme Court justices, often seen as embodying meritocracy, may struggle to see non-regular and regular workers as equals. Justice Lee Sook-yeon, who reported assets of 24.3 billion won, reportedly stated that "uncertainty and confusion for businesses (regarding potential negotiations with subcontracted unions) can hinder swift management decisions and timely business execution, thereby impeding the development of our industry." The author posits that the justices feel more kinship with businesspeople than with non-regular workers, implying a predetermined conclusion followed by a search for justification.

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We are writing 99% bullshit with 1% fact, aren't we, to ultimately write the truth?

This critique extends beyond the judiciary, noting that many lawyers enter politics in an era dominated by legalism. Politicians often shift issues that should be resolved politically into the legal arena, and law firms tend to favor corporate clients. The article echoes Fred Rodell's 80-year-old observation about lawyers serving the wealthy and powerful, stating that such individuals still exist today, diligently interpreting laws to favor "the rich, Wall Street, and the Republican Party."

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Uncertainty and confusion for businesses (regarding potential negotiations with subcontracted unions) can hinder swift management decisions and timely business execution, thereby impeding the development of our industry.

However, the article concludes with a hopeful note, referencing fellow lawyer Kim Dong-hyun's assertion that "truth is that law deals with ordinary events that ordinary people experience in their daily lives." The author expresses a desire for the legal interpretations of ordinary people to become the norm.

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The truth is that law deals with ordinary events that ordinary people experience in their daily lives.