Gwangju-type Job Model Facing Stranding Crisis, Will It Normalize Like This?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Gwangju-type job project, which faced a crisis of collapse due to the labor sector's declaration of withdrawal from the project, has entered a new turning point. This is because Gwangju Metropolitan City proposed the establishment of a foundation dedicated to labor-management win-win practical work. The labor sector has also tentatively agreed to Gwangju City's proposal, and it is highly likely that the shareholders' meeting will accept it, raising expectations that dialogue may resume soon.

According to the industry on the 28th, Lee Yong-seop, mayor of Gwangju City, visited the Gwangju branch of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) the day before, met with Chairman Yoon Dong-hae, and delivered the plan to establish the Gwangju Win-Win Job Foundation.

The proposed foundation will function as a labor service platform, with the project leader recommended by the labor sector and a Grade 4 (manager-level) secretary-general appointed through an open recruitment process. The Gwangju Win-Win Job Foundation is expected to reflect the labor sector's opinions throughout the project while also providing a justification for the labor sector's return.

The labor sector is also likely to accept this proposal. Although Chairman Yoon has stated that further internal discussions are necessary, it is known that substantial behind-the-scenes negotiations with Gwangju City have already taken place. Moreover, during the 21st general election period, the Democratic Party of Korea's Gwangju branch and the FKTU had conducted a policy agreement for the introduction of a similar system, making the success of this proposal highly probable.

Now, the ball is in the court of the shareholders of Gwangju Global Motors. A Gwangju Global Motors official stated, "A shareholders' meeting is scheduled for the 9th on the premise of the labor sector's non-participation," adding, "If the labor sector declares participation in the project again, an extraordinary board meeting will be held to readjust the subsequent schedule." The industry expects that since Gwangju City, which proposed the Gwangju Win-Win Job Foundation, is the largest shareholder of Gwangju Global Motors, the project will normalize if the labor sector re-engages in dialogue.

However, there are concerns. An official body called the Labor-Management-Government-Civil Council related to the Gwangju-type job project is already in operation. Additionally, once Gwangju Global Motors begins full-scale recruitment, a Labor-Management Win-Win Council jointly operated by labor and management is also expected to be launched. Because of this, there are worries that the Gwangju Win-Win Job Foundation could become a 'roof on a roof,' surpassing existing organizations. Furthermore, if the agreements among these bodies conflict, it could fuel greater controversy.

Meanwhile, the shareholders of Gwangju Global Motors have issued a final ultimatum to the labor sector to return by the 29th to normalize the project following the labor sector's declaration of withdrawal. Therefore, the FKTU is expected to finalize its position on project participation by the 29th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.