"Participation in Social Dialogue"...Major Labor Unions Hold First Luncheon with President Lee

The leaders of the two major labor unions announced that they would participate in social dialogue after meeting with President Lee Jaemyung. The union leaders proposed addressing the dual structure of the labor market, extending the retirement age, and implementing a 4.5-day workweek.

Yonhap News

On September 4, Kim Dongmyung, President of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, and Yang Kyungsoo, President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, held a luncheon meeting with President Lee at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul. This was the first meeting between the president and the leaders of the two major labor unions since President Lee took office.

In his opening remarks, Yang Kyungsoo, President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, stated, "Since the government advocates for national sovereignty, labor sovereignty must also be guaranteed." He added, "Workers at businesses with fewer than five employees should also be protected by law, and special employment and platform workers must be guaranteed the right to unionize without exception." He continued, "By promoting bargaining at the principal company level and at the early stages within industries, we can resolve the dual structure and polarization of the labor market, and the three basic labor rights should be granted to everyone."

Yang proposed, "I suggest labor-government negotiations to address the climate crisis, inequality, and labor issues," and expressed hope that "through dialogue between the government and labor, we can build trust and establish a new labor-government relationship."

Kim Dongmyung, President of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, also said, "This is a time when a grand compromise based on bold decisions by economic actors is urgently needed." He proposed, "I suggest that the president bring together all economic stakeholders to engage in a deliberative process and declare a social grand compromise within that framework."

Kim also stated, "Extending the retirement age to 65 is an urgent and realistic task for the future of Korean society, which has entered a super-aged era." He continued, "Let us make next year the historic first year of substantial reduction in working hours." He added, "The government should provide subsidies to companies that lack the financial capacity to reduce working hours, and for workplaces such as hospitals or banks where a 4.5-day workweek can be implemented immediately through autonomous labor-management agreements, the government should actively encourage and support such efforts."

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