Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik held a meeting on the morning of July 5 (Tuesday) with elders in the labor field on labor market policies.
The meeting was attended by six elders with professional knowledge in the field of labor, including Lee Ki-kwon, who served as Minister of Employment and Labor, and Kim Dong-man, who served as chairman of the Korea Federation of Trade Unions, Hyung-nam Moon, Jun-seong Park, Gil-sang Yu, and Young-ki Choi.
The participants shared in-depth and sincere opinions on current labor issues in Korea and matters to be considered in the process of implementing policies in the future.
【Main discussion content】
(Related labor market reform direction) On this day, participants shared the urgency of labor market reform and discussed the recommendations for successful completion.
In particular, since the position between labor and management is inevitably sharp on the priority reform task to be discussed at the Future Labor Market Research Council, the government is trying to establish a trustworthy labor-management relationship by aligning the positions of the labor and management circles. In consideration of the positions of various stakeholders in the market, he urged the relevant ministries to work closely together.
In particular, regarding the working time system, as the demands of field workers such as flexible working hours for reasons such as workers’ sovereignty over time and childcare are increasing, listen carefully to the voices of the field and easily explain to the public regarding leading foreign cases. He emphasized the importance of eliciting sympathy from workers and company officials, who are consumers, on the need for labor market reform.
Regarding the need for wage system reform, it has been discussed since the 1980s, and the government thought regarding the difficulties in accepting the wage system reform, noting that it is a very difficult task. He emphasized that improvement measures need to be discussed through the research group.
Discussion continued on other additional reform tasks in the future.
In order to improve labor market practices, consciousness, and system and to build a sustainable and future-oriented labor market, it is necessary to discover and discuss various requirements claimed by labor and management in addition to working hours and wage system through social dialogue through senior labor unions, etc. In particular, he emphasized that tasks such as the establishment of a safety net for the vulnerable in employment to resolve polarization such as the dual structure of the labor market should be discussed.
(Severe Accident Punishment Act, etc.) The participants continued to give advice on the Serious Disaster Punishment Act.
Although the participants generally agreed that the effects such as a change of consciousness in the field are gradually appearing even following only 6 months of implementation, they should listen to the voices of the field that the system has some unclear and ambiguous parts, and that it is necessary to improve it if necessary. emphasized.
On the other hand, while emphasizing that employment policy should be promoted as an axis of labor reform, he urged the discussion to also discuss enhancement of access to the education and training system, such as strengthening the safety net and reinforcing transfer and job change training in times of great transformation such as industrial transformation. .
Inquiries: Ki-cheol Ki (044-202-7509), TF for Promotion of Current Labor Issues
