Major Trade Unions Demand 22nd National Assembly to Abolish 'Discriminatory Minimum Wage Application Clause'

"If Discriminatory Application Is Pushed, Catastrophe Awaits"

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) have urged the enactment of the 'Minimum Wage Anti-Discrimination Act' as the first bill of the 22nd National Assembly.

At the 134th Anniversary of International Workers' Day National Workers' Rally, members of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) are listening to Chairman Kim Dong-myeong's opening address. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the morning of the 3rd, the two major trade unions held a 'Minimum Wage Anti-Discrimination Act National Assembly Proclamation Press Conference' in front of the National Assembly main building, stating, "The current law contains discriminatory provisions such as differential application by industry, reduced application for probationary workers, and exclusion of disabled workers from minimum wage application," and pointed out that "this blocks social mobility among workers, widens economic disparities, and drags Korean society into discrimination and tragedy."

The two major trade unions said, "Recently, there have even been absurd claims to create a 'minimum minimum wage' lower than the minimum wage through differential application by industry," adding, "At the beginning of this year, the debate over differential application of minimum wage by industry for domestic and care workers, instigated by the Bank of Korea, has made normal deliberations on the minimum wage virtually impossible."

The two major trade unions stated, "The Minimum Wage Commission has once again appointed pro-government figures who produce anti-labor policies as public interest members, creating a tilted playing field biased toward employers," and said, "We will retaliate against behaviors that undermine the purpose of the minimum wage system through strong solidarity and struggle."

Kim Dong-myeong, Chairman of the FKTU, said, "If the Minimum Wage Commission pushes for discriminatory application, we will face a catastrophic situation never experienced before," and pledged, "I will defend the FKTU's honor and prevent discriminatory application of the minimum wage."

At this press conference, lawmakers Seo Young-kyo, Kim Ju-young, Lee Soo-jin, Park Hae-cheol, Park Hong-bae, Lee Yong-woo, and Baek Seung-ah from the Democratic Party of Korea, Kim Jae-won from the Innovation Party, Jeong Hye-kyung from the Progressive Party, Yong Hye-in from the Basic Income Party, and Han Chang-min from the Social Democratic Party attended and promised to enact the Minimum Wage Anti-Discrimination Act.

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