Understanding collective agreements

A collective agreement is a bargain between the union and the employer, and it carries greater force than an individual employment contract.

What it covers

• Wages and allowances
• Working hours, rest days and leave
• Personnel and disciplinary procedures
• Health and safety
• Welfare provisions — dormitory, meals, commuting

Why it matters

• Where the employment contract is worse than the collective agreement, the agreement's standard applies to that part.
• Work rules also cannot conflict with the collective agreement.
• It sometimes applies even to non-members. Check with the company.

How to check

1. Find out whether your workplace has a union.
2. Ask whether there is a collective agreement and whether it applies to you.
3. Request a copy. Normally it is posted or available to read.
4. Compare it with your employment contract to see if any terms are better.
5. If you don't understand it, ask 1350 or the union.

Where to go

• Your workplace trade union
• 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labour (with interpretation)
• 1577-0071 Foreign Workforce Support Centre
• Local migrant workers' support centres
• 1577-1366 interpretation

Questions people ask

Does it apply if I'm not a member? It depends on the workplace. Check with the company, the union and 1350.

The agreement and my contract differ. In principle whichever is more favourable to the worker applies. Ask 1350 about your specific case.

The agreement is in Korean and hard to follow. Ask the union or a migrant workers' support centre for a translation or explanation.

The company isn't honouring the agreement. Raise it through the union or consult 1350. Where wages are involved, a complaint is also possible.

Take care

If your workplace has a collective agreement, read it at least once. Allowances, leave and dormitory terms are often better than in the individual contract — and if you don't know, you simply miss out.

Related

labor-union-rights · employment-contract · annual-leave · overtime-pay

Source

Ministry of Employment and Labour www.moel.go.kr / As of 2026-08