산업재해 예방을 위한 근로자 참여와 노동조합의 역할-H 자동차 사례를 중심으로-

The government implementation of the “Serious Accidents Punishment Act” in 2021 significantly increased interest in industrial accident prevention at workplace environments. Given the direct impact on employee safety, active employee engagement is crucial in this area where employees and management interests converge. This study investigates how labor unions and management at H Motors collaboratively pursued shared goals in preventing occupational accidents. Through semi-structured interviews and secondary data analysis, the research reveals that labor unions effectively mediate between employee and management, enhancing communication and policy implementation. The study underscores the importance of active employee participation and the use of multiple channels, including labor unions, to facilitate this involvement. The use of labor union channels proved advantageous, as they better incorporate frontline perspectives and increase employee acceptance of decisions. Labor unions acting as mediators rather than in opposition to management further enhance accident prevention efforts. At H Motors, the union actively gathers individual opinions, consolidates them, and communicates them to management, functioning as a complementary body in industrial accident prevention initiatives. This research contributes to the existing literature by providing an in-depth examination of contemporary corporate efforts to mitigate occupational hazards. It highlights the pivotal role of labor unions in articulating and conveying workers' collective viewpoints, which are then translated into actionable policies by corporate leadership. These findings offer new insights beyond traditional productivity-focused research, emphasizing the potential for collaborative approaches in enhancing workplace safety.