Kim Dong-myeong, Chairman of the Korean Federation of Trade Unions, "Strong Response if Discriminatory Application of Minimum Wage is Pushed Through"

Urging Resolution on Amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act

Kim Dong-myeong, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), warned on the 4th that if differential application of the minimum wage is implemented, he will take stronger measures beyond resigning from the Minimum Wage Commission.

Kim Dong-myeong, Chairman of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, is speaking at a press briefing on the legislative response direction for the minimum wage held at the Federation of Korean Trade Unions in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 4th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

At a press conference held at the FKTU conference room in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Chairman Kim stated, "We intend to fundamentally neutralize attempts to apply discrimination by removing provisions within the Minimum Wage Act," adding, "If the Minimum Wage Commission pushes for differential minimum wages by industry, we will respond with measures stronger than just resigning from the commission."

Chairman Kim said, "Differential application of the minimum wage is economic discrimination that wounds the pride of workers as members of society and undermines trust in society," and added, "A society where discrimination is justified has no hope, so it cannot be tolerated."

Chairman Kim also drew a line against labor demands to set separate minimum wages for special-type workers and platform workers. He explained, "Under no circumstances should laws or systems that protect workers include discriminatory provisions."

Regarding next year's minimum wage, Chairman Kim stated, "Since the Yoon Seok-yeol administration took office, the low minimum wage increase rate has caused real wages of workers to decline, leading to reduced consumption and a slump in the domestic economy," and emphasized, "It must be raised to a level that compensates for the decline in real wages over the past two years and protects the lives of low-wage workers."

Chairman Kim urged the government to make a decisive decision on the revised Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act, on which President Yoon Seok-yeol exercised the right of reconsideration (veto), as well as on the Nursing Act. He also demanded that the government and ruling party take a progressive stance on the seven major legislative tasks requested by the FKTU, including the full application of the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees, enactment of the Working People's Rights Protection Act, and legislation to extend the retirement age to 65.

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