The Two Major Trade Unions Urge the National Assembly to Apply the Labor Standards Act to Workplaces with Fewer Than Five Employees

Yang Kyung-soo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and Kim Dong-myung, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, are urging the full application of the Labor Standards Act at a joint press conference of the two major labor union chairmen held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 8th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] On the day before the regular National Assembly session ends, the two major labor unions demanded a revision of the law to apply the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees.

On the 8th, Kim Dong-myeong, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), and Yang Kyung-soo, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), held a press conference in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, urging the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party to immediately revise the law, stating, "Applying the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees is an urgent task that cannot be postponed any longer."

According to Article 11 of the current Labor Standards Act, workplaces with fewer than five employees are exempt from provisions such as working hours, annual leave, and overtime, night, and holiday allowances. There have also been reports of cases where the number of employees is falsely reported to authorities to exploit this exemption.

The chairmen stated, "Workers in workplaces with fewer than five employees are not covered by key provisions of the Labor Standards Act, so they cannot file unfair dismissal claims, have no limits on weekly working hours, and are not eligible for overtime, holiday, or night premium pay," adding, "The law and system must not discriminate against workers. If those responsible for legislation, regardless of party, fail to take responsibility, they will definitely be judged in the presidential election."

On this day, the two major labor union chairmen also argued that measures are needed to protect subcontracted workers. They explained, "There have been continuous cases where workers are not protected during corporate splits, mergers, or changes in subcontractors," and added, "Although the Ministry of Employment and Labor recommends employment succession when subcontractors change, in reality, workers lose their jobs or sign contracts with working conditions worse than before."

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