Secretary General of the Korea Labor-Management Development Foundation: "Samsung Labor and Management Should Expand Common Ground Rather Than Cut Corners"

Park Jongpil, Secretary General of the Korea Labor-Management Development Foundation, recently emphasized the need to "foster a shared focal point" regarding the recent conflict between labor and management at Samsung Electronics. Addressing the ongoing industrial disputes surrounding the amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act (the so-called Yellow Envelope Act), which took effect in March, he stated that the foundation would strengthen its preventive role.

At a press conference marking his first anniversary in office, held on the 13th at the foundation's main conference room in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Secretary General Park said, "There are two ways to create the circle that is the goal of labor-management relations: one is to cut away the corners of a square, and the other is to stack small circles."

He further explained, "Cutting the corners is painful, causes bleeding, and leads to conflict. Even if there are differences of opinion between labor and management, there will certainly be a shared focal point. If we approach the situation with the mindset of nurturing this common ground, we will find solutions."

Park Jongpil, Secretary General of the Korea Labor-Management Development Foundation (second from left), is speaking at a press conference celebrating the first anniversary of his appointment on the 13th at the foundation's main conference room in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Korea Labor-Management Development Foundation

The Korea Labor-Management Development Foundation, an agency under the Ministry of Employment and Labor, is currently supporting the establishment of win-win partnership models between principal contractors and subcontractors, as well as providing consulting services to prevent labor-management conflicts, through its "Comprehensive Win-Win Partnership Support Project." The support is available not only to single workplaces but also to multiple business sites and supra-enterprise-level labor organizations.

Regarding the potential for industrial disputes following the implementation of the Yellow Envelope Act, Secretary General Park emphasized, "The foundation can play a preventive role through preemptive education and consulting to ensure that legal conflicts do not arise."

In practice, collective bargaining consulting is currently underway between Korea Minting, Security Printing & ID Card Operating Corp. and its subcontracted security and cleaning workers in the public sector, while Busan Port Authority and Incheon Transit Corporation are also receiving related support. In the private sector, POSCO is receiving support from the foundation during discussions on working conditions after its decision to directly employ more than 7,000 subcontracted workers.

The foundation is also expanding its role in the government's push for a 4.5-day workweek. Through the "Work-Life Balance + 4.5 Project," it provides consulting and financial support to companies that reduce working hours without cutting wages. The amount of support ranges from 200,000 to 600,000 won per worker per month, depending on company size and type, and for new hires, the support increases to 600,000 to 800,000 won per worker per month.

Secretary General Park stated, "We will not limit ourselves to resolving labor-management conflicts after they occur, but will strengthen our support system with a focus on prevention."

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