No Rights on the Golf Course: Korean Women's Union Locked Out at Government-Owned Country Club

Posted to the IUF website 03-Nov-2003

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The IUF-affiliated Korean Women's Trade Union (KWTU) is fighting for trade union rights for the many women workers employed on the country's golf courses. In Korea, there are some 20,000 golf caddies, the great majority of whom are women. Because their legal status as workers in national legislation is ambiguous, golf course owners have used this ambiguity to resist unionization and collective bargaining. The caddies are not covered by workplace accident insurance, despite a high rate of accidents and injury, and most golf courses prohibit caddies from wearing the eyeglasses which could protect them from injuries to the eyes. They have no protection against unfair dismissals and sexual harassment. Now they are fighting for their collective rights.

On October 16, 110 women caddies were locked out of their jobs at the 88 Country Club, located some 30 kilometers from downtown Seoul. They are members of the local branch of the KWTU, which has been struggling to renew the collective agreement they first won in July 2001 after 18 months of struggle. Rather than negotiate, the club temporarily closed and expelled all the union members despite the fact that the agreement is still in force. The electricity for the union office was cut off, and union members are barred from entering the premises.


October 18: union members march to the 88 Country Club, demanding an end to the lockout and the renewal of their collective agreement.

Two years ago, the government promised policy changes to secure golf caddies' rights, but the caddies are still waiting. Meanwhile, golf course owners are seeking to bust the unions which have formed. The 88 Country club is owned by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; profits go directly to the government. In response to a vigorous campaign by the union, the ministry eventually instructed management to resolve the conflict, but negotiations have not advanced because of management resistance to negotiating an agreement based on firm recognition of the union's collective bargaining rights.


October 20:union demonstration at the National Assembly.

The union has now appealed for international support. You can support the KWTU's struggle for trade union rights by writing to the Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. A sample message follows below.

Please send copies of any messages you might send to the IUF secretariat and to the KWTU at [email protected]

We thank you in advance for your solidarity and support.

Sample message to the government of Korea

To: Mr. An Joo Seob, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs
17-23 Yeouido-dong Yeongdengpo-gu
Seoul, Korea 150-874
Fax::+82-2 782-3325
E-mail: E-mail: [email protected]

cc: Mr. Park Jong Deuk
Head of Welfare Project Management Division
E-mail: [email protected]

Dear Mr. Minister,

I write with regard to the situation at the 88 Country Club. Union members belonging to the 88 Country Club branch of the Korean Women's Trade Union have been locked out of their jobs and barred from the premises since October 16 in response to their union's efforts to renew the collective agreement which they negotiated with management in July 2001. Since the club is owned by your ministry, we consider it your responsibility to act immediately to ensure that the lockout is rescinded, the women are restored to their jobs and management enters into meaningful negotiations for the renewal of the collective agreement. Locking out workers because they are members of a trade union is a gross violation of core Conventions of the International Labour Organization, and therefore constitutes a breach of international law. We therefore call upon you to take appropriate measures in accord with the government of Korea's international obligations.

I will continue to closely follow developments in this conflict and the achievement of a just resolution.

Sincerely