노사정위원회에서 경영자총협회의 역할과 전략적 행동: 법정근로시간 단축협상을 중심으로

This study aims to shed light on the nature of the relationship between the KEF and its member firms and its strategic choices as it discussed the statutory working hours reduction within the Tripartite Commission. Using resource dependence theory, the author examines asymmetric interdependence between employer associations and their members and the challenges of associability and governability. External pressures or challenges, such as from strong unions, multi- employer bargaining structures and pro-labour governments, provide employers with significant incentives for membership. By focusing on the KEF, this paper prioritises historical discussion of their collective responses and the consequences of these responses. The analysis shows that the changes to the Korean political economy and industrial relations appeared to influence KEF member firms' attitude to join and remain within their association. The militant KCTU unions and their struggles, the Kim government's anti-chaebol policies and the existence of Tripartite Commission and the FKTU's participation in that institutional framework helped the KEF maintain its organisational identity and develop associability and governability. On the other hand, less coordinated enterprise union activism, the state's strong measures against union militancy and the internal structure and decision-making of the KEF mainly operated by its Secretariat weakened its control or influence over other employer organisations and individual employers. In these circumstances, in response to the changes to the external environments, the KEF strategically made various choices. Its avoidance, negotiations, delaying and lobbying strategies successfully delivered employers' collective interests so that it was able to delay the introduction of the statutory working hours reduction from 44 hours to 40 and weaken some legal working conditions.