Democratic Labor Union's 'COVID-19 One-Point Tripartite Emergency Consultation' Raises Questions About Sincerity...

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[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The Federation of Public Service Labor Unions (Chairman Lee Chung-jae·photo) issued a statement criticizing the sincerity of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' (KCTU) demand for a 'COVID-19 One-Point Tripartite Emergency Consultation,' drawing attention to future developments.

The Federation of Public Service Labor Unions respects the social significance of the KCTU's proposed 'One-Point Tripartite Emergency Consultation,' whose main purpose is to prevent worker layoffs. However, it expressed suspicion as to why the KCTU, which participates in all major government bodies with significant power and authority such as the Minimum Wage Commission and the Central Labor Relations Commission, uniquely excludes the Tripartite Commission, which carries social responsibility, and separately proposes an emergency consultation. They questioned whether this is a "plan to neglect KCTU's social responsibility after the general election while maintaining and expanding its influence."

The Federation of Public Service Labor Unions strongly urged the KCTU to participate in the Tripartite Commission to fulfill the social responsibility of labor unions appropriate to the emergency situation of COVID-19, and also called for the expansion of worker participation in the Tripartite Commission.

They argued that the current economic crisis cannot be resolved by the government and businesses alone, and that the labor sector must also join in overcoming the crisis. Therefore, the purpose of establishing the 'Tripartite Commission,' which was created by workers, employers, and the government to tackle such difficult issues, should be expanded and utilized.

Accordingly, the Federation of Public Service Labor Unions urged the Moon Jae-in administration to emphasize the social responsibility of the Tripartite Commission and to strengthen channels for incorporating the opinions of frontline workers in preparation for the ongoing COVID-19 economic crisis, the end of which is uncertain.

The Federation of Public Service Labor Unions was launched in December 2016 as an organization uniting public service workers nationwide. It advocates labor movements for the people and social community movements together with the public, and strives to establish a lifecycle labor movement system that connects labor unions, cooperatives, and pension unions.