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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Jisun] Following Kakao, Naver's headquarters labor union membership rate has surpassed 50% for the first time.
According to a Kukmin Ilbo report on the 20th, the Chemical Fiber and Food Industry Labor Union's Naver Chapter (Common Statement) announced in an email to union members that it had achieved majority representation within Naver's corporate body. Since its establishment in April 2018, this marks the first time that union membership at Naver’s headquarters has exceeded half. The rate had hovered around 40% for years.
The union celebrated the milestone with a two-day event, highlighting not only Naver's headquarters but also affiliates like Naver Webtoon, Naver Z, Snow, and RICO Studio, all of which now boast union membership rates above 50%. Together with NTS (Naver Tech Services), which had previously achieved majority union status, Common Statement now claims majority representation across six entities.
In the coming days, the union plans to formally request the company to verify its majority status. This process involves confirming whether union members account for more than half of the total workforce by agreeing with the company on the denominator used for calculation.
The surge in union membership is attributed to growing expectations for wage negotiations and performance bonuses, fueled by Naver's strong performance amid economic uncertainty. In Q3, Naver reported a consolidated operating profit of 525.3 billion won, up 38.2% year-on-year. Additionally, dissatisfaction with work policies and employee welfare is believed to have contributed to the increase in union participation.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
