Minnochoong Proposes "Total Employment Maintenance" as a Tripartite Dialogue Agenda on COVID-19 (Comprehensive)

On the morning of the 12th, Kim Myung-hwan, the chairman, is giving a greeting speech at the press conference for small business workers' rights organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in the conference room of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has proposed total employment maintenance as an agenda item in the one-point tripartite social dialogue to overcome the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis. They also insisted on officially discussing the nationwide employment insurance mentioned by President Moon Jae-in during this dialogue.

Kim Myung-hwan, Chairman of the KCTU, said at a press briefing held on the morning of the 12th at the KCTU conference room in Jeong-dong, Seoul, "If total employment maintenance is assumed, the social safety net, including nationwide employment insurance that guarantees livelihoods, will be expanded, so we plan to propose total employment maintenance," adding, "We will propose to officially include nationwide employment insurance."

Chairman Kim explained, "Due to the characteristics of Korean society, less than half of the workers who are supposed to be covered by so-called employment insurance actually benefit from it," and added, "Even amid COVID-19, how much the sweat of delivery workers supports our society. We need to seriously discuss completely changing the system for employment insurance for special types of workers (teukgo, special employment workers), and it should become a core agenda item in the COVID-19 tripartite consultation."

Regarding the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), which decided to participate in the COVID-19 tripartite dialogue the day before, he said, "We truly welcome it and, although late, we express our desire to work together," emphasizing, "Both unions should take responsible actions for the 22 million workers and support vulnerable groups and the issues that will arise after COVID-19."

With the FKTU expressing willingness to participate, the two major trade unions will jointly engage in social dialogue to overcome COVID-19. Chairman Kim warned, "It is important to participate in the emergency tripartite consultation with the right attitude," and added, "At this time, submitting plans to expand corporate profits or increase corporate size is difficult to accept from the public sentiment perspective."

He stated, "We will strengthen cooperation, solidarity, and collaboration with the FKTU during the social dialogue process," and said, "We will uphold the stance of 'Gudongjoni' (pursuing the same goals while recognizing differences) and do our best."

Additionally, Chairman Kim referred to the fire at a logistics warehouse construction site in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 29th of last month, saying, "Regarding the repeated industrial accidents, the Serious Accident Corporate Punishment Act, which the KCTU promoted together with bereaved families and civil society, was not even deliberated in the 20th National Assembly," and announced that they will urge the National Assembly to enact the Serious Accident Corporate Punishment Act.

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