1. History

 

o Before 1987, There were only 3 hospital workers' trade unions in Korea. After July 1987, trade unions began to be organized. After that, trade unions were established in 60 hospitals for 5 Months.

 

o On 12th December, 1987, 500 union representatives of 50 hospital trade unions decided to construct Council of Korean Hospital Workers' Union.

 

o By the end of 1988, Council of Korean Hospital Workers' Union had grown to include 150 hospital workers' unions.

 

o On 17th December, 1988, Federation of Korean Hospital Workers' Union(FKHU) was founded. But FKHW was considered as non-registered organization and oppressed by the Korean government according to the Labor Law which banned multiple trade unions.

 

o FKHU actively struggled against the government's oppression while legally responded to it. In 1990, FKHW affiliated with Public Service International(PSI) and FIET (The White Collar and Services grouping. today, Union Network International, UNI), so acquired international approval before domestic one. 

 

o struggling for legalization for 4 years, FKHU was finally legalized by wining a lawsuit at the Supreme Court on May 1993. Since then FKHU had played an important role in building Council of Korean Trade Union(CKTU) and Korean Confederation of Trade Union(KCTU).