Federation of Korean Trade Unions agrees to talks but rejects labor exemptions outright; KCTU wary of Economic, Social and Labor Council as precondition

Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon briefs reporters Tuesday at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu on a proposal for social dialogue over labor deregulation measures tied to the mega special zone special act, including exemptions from the 52-hour workweek for research personnel and an expansion of permitted dispatch work. [Yonhap]
Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon briefs reporters Tuesday at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu on a proposal for social dialogue over labor deregulation measures tied to the mega special zone special act, including exemptions from the 52-hour workweek for research personnel and an expansion of permitted dispatch work. [Yonhap]

South Korea's two major union federations have responded differently to the government's formal proposal for social dialogue on labor exemptions — including a potential 52-hour workweek waiver — tied to the planned mega special economic zone.

The Federation of Korean Trade Unions said it would join the talks but drew a line against interpreting its participation as acceptance of any labor exemptions. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said it would be difficult to engage in talks premised on joining the Economic, Social and Labor Council, signaling a cautious stance.

In a statement Tuesday, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions said it would "engage responsibly in discussions so that balanced regional development and stronger industrial competitiveness can translate into genuine improvements in workers' quality of life," noting that it was the party that had originally proposed social dialogue on the mega special zone.

The federation added, however, that "the Federation of Korean Trade Unions' participation does not mean acceptance of labor exemptions," and said specific issues "must be worked out through social dialogue."

Among the labor exemptions under consideration for the mega special zone special act is a Korean-style "white-collar exemption" that would exclude high-earning managers and research and development workers meeting certain criteria from the 52-hour weekly cap and from overtime, night-shift and holiday pay requirements. Also reported to be under review are plans to extend the maximum contract period for fixed-term workers from two years to four, expand the range of jobs eligible for dispatch work, and lengthen the settlement period for flexible working-hour arrangements to a maximum of six months.

The federation said the agenda for the talks should not be confined to labor exemptions alone, calling for broad discussion covering the mega special zone as a whole — including job creation, education and residential conditions.

"We will work toward solutions that protect workers' right to health, employment security and fundamental labor rights while also achieving stronger industrial competitiveness and an expansion of quality jobs," the federation said.

The KCTU said it sympathized with the spirit of the government's dialogue proposal but expressed reservations about the precondition of joining the Economic, Social and Labor Council.

In its statement Tuesday, the KCTU said it "positively evaluates" the Ministry of Employment and Labor's expressed agreement on improving the overall operation of social dialogue — including consensus-based decision-making, more active sector- and industry-level agendas, and a possible name change for the council.

However, the KCTU said the ministry had "requested participation in the Economic, Social and Labor Council as a precondition for discussing those very improvements," adding that this "does not align with the KCTU's call to pursue a new form of social bargaining suited to a new era."

The KCTU has been pushing for a new social bargaining structure rather than a return to the existing council — one built on deliberative consensus instead of majority votes, and allowing industry-level unions directly relevant to each agenda item to participate in tripartite talks.

The KCTU said its proposal was "not a formal debate over whether to join the Economic, Social and Labor Council, but a call to change the very principles and operating methods of social bargaining itself," and that it would "determine its organizational position after careful deliberation on the government's stance."

Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon on Tuesday proposed a focused, single-issue round of social dialogue with direct labor and management participation on the labor exemptions in the mega special zone special act. With the Federation of Korean Trade Unions signaling its willingness to join while the KCTU has yet to commit, the format and operating rules of the talks have emerged as the first flashpoint in the tripartite consultation process.


fact0514@heraldcorp.com