Controversy Over Time-Off System... SKK Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik Criticizes, "Is the Business Community a Stooge for Labor Legislation?"

Harsh Criticism at Visit to Gyeongsanowi
"Unilateral Resolution Is Inappropriate"

Son Kyung-sik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (KEF) (left), is having a conversation with Moon Sung-hyun, Chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Council, during a courtesy visit at the Economic, Social and Labor Council in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 27th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] "There are even criticisms that the business community is being used as a 'stooge' to legislate labor's demands."

Son Kyung-sik, chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (KEF), recently voiced harsh criticism regarding the controversial ‘working hours exemption (Time Off System)’.

On the 27th, visiting the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC), Chairman Son met with Chairman Moon Sung-hyun and criticized, "It is highly inappropriate for the ESLC, which has a significant impact on the national economy, to unilaterally push through resolutions by accepting only labor’s demands and ignoring the opinions of the business community."

The ESLC, a social dialogue body directly under the president, has been deliberating since November last year to set limits on the Time Off System. The Time Off System is a system that sets the amount of time union officials can engage in union activities while receiving their salary without wage loss. It has been in effect since July 2010, and the exemption limit increases according to the size of the union.

The Working Hours Exemption Deliberation Committee (WHEDC), composed of 15 members including five each from labor, management, and public interest commissioners, has been holding meetings in line with the revised Trade Union Act implemented in July last year. The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) submitted a proposal on the 11th to reset the limits, urging an expansion of weighted targets based on regional distribution and additional limits considering activities in federations (dispatch activities to higher-level organizations).

The business community holds a position that it cannot accept these demands. Chairman Son emphasized, "According to the WHEDC’s fact-finding survey, the time used for various union activities was only 21% according to company surveys and 24% according to unions." He added, "The business community believes that based on the WHEDC’s survey results and foreign cases, the current working hours exemption limits should be reasonably reduced."

He further stated, "Going forward, union activities during working hours should be at the union’s own expense," and "The business community finds it difficult to accept labor’s demands that go against global standards and do not align with the survey results."

Strong criticism toward the ESLC also continued. Chairman Son said, "The recently passed ‘Public Institution Labor Director System’ law in the National Assembly was based on a resolution pushed through by the ESLC despite unanimous opposition from all business representatives," and raised his voice, saying, "The business community believes that the ESLC’s operation has greatly deviated from its role as a social dialogue body for labor-management-government consensus."

Meanwhile, the WHEDC must make a decision within 60 days of the review request and plans to complete the deliberation by the 3rd of next month.

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