Employment Minister Lee Jeong-sik: "Voices of Youth and Unorganized Workers Must Be Reflected... Government Committee Participation Will Be Opened"

Joint Meeting of the "Labor-Management Relations System and Practice Improvement Advisory Group" and the "Future of Labor Forum"

Lee Jeong-sik, Minister of Employment and Labor, stated on the 22nd, "Reflecting the diversified forms of employment, we will open up various government committees to allow participation from youth, platform workers, and unorganized workers."

On the same day, Minister Lee made these remarks during a joint meeting of the 'Advisory Group for Improvement of Labor-Management Relations Systems and Practices' and the 'Future of Labor Forum' held at the Economic, Social and Labor Council's main conference room.

Minister Lee explained, "Currently, some major federation organizations monopolize participation rights or are overrepresented, leading to ongoing criticism that they do not represent the interests of the entire group, including vulnerable groups such as youth and unorganized workers. We must diversify the subjects and methods of social dialogue and significantly strengthen the function of representing interests by reflecting the voices of unorganized minorities."

He also reiterated the government's stance on labor rule of law. He said, "Unfair cases such as majority unions infringing on the labor rights of minority unions and occupying workplaces to enforce their demands continue to occur on the ground. Establishing fair and rational labor-management relations is essential for the stability of our society and the sustainable development of the economy."

During the meeting, the opinions of youth on the 'Improvement of Systems and Practices for Building Fair Labor-Management Relations,' which the advisory group is discussing, were to be heard. Prior to the discussion, Professor Lee Sang-hee of Korea Polytechnic University, a member of the advisory group, presented on issues such as ▲ habitual and malicious wage arrears by employers ▲ unfair labor practices such as employers' support for union operation costs ▲ unreasonable practices of labor unions (cases of unfair disciplinary actions and expulsions against union members, unfair acts by majority unions against minority unions during collective bargaining, illegal occupation cases, etc.). The policy suggestions from the youth gathered that day were to be reflected in future recommendations.

Minister Lee stated, "The instability and uncertainty in the labor market caused by opaque and collusive labor-management relations practices will undermine the future national competitiveness and threaten the sustainability of the economy and society. The government will steadily push forward reforms based on the various opinions presented today and the recommendations to be announced by the advisory group."

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik. (File photo)
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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