On October 10, labor unions from 15 airports in South Korea submitted direct negotiation requests to the main contractors, Incheon International Airport Corporation and Korea Airports Corporation (KAC). The request was part of the newly implemented Yellow Envelope Law, which obliges principal employers to negotiate directly with the unions representing subcontracted workers if they hold significant control over labor conditions. The Incheon International Airport branch of the public transport union argued that both the Incheon International Airport Corporation and KAC effectively control the working conditions of subcontracted workers, citing examples of reductions in staffing levels and forced consultations regarding work structure changes.

The union's concerns were further emphasized by incidents from earlier this year, where a plan to implement a new shift system was abruptly halted by the Incheon International Airport Corporation under the pretext of requiring contract modifications. Union representatives assert that even in the absence of direct instructions from the principal companies, subcontracted workers are structurally under their control. The legal and labor status of these arrangements has evolved, aligning with the Yellow Envelope Law, which recognizes the principal employer's role in determining labor conditions for subcontracted employees.

As these negotiations unfold, the unions are pushing for transparency and accountability from Incheon International Airport Corporation and KAC. A representative from the Incheon branch remarked on the necessity of determining the rightful employer and the importance of negotiating wage and staffing controls that have been historically dominated by these principal companies. The airport labor unions have made clear their demands and the urgency for these negotiations, emphasizing the broader implications for labor conditions at the national level.