Workplace harassment group survey: 35% say they faced unfair orders, harassment under threat of contract termination; proposed law to extend fixed-term limit to 4 years draws criticism
The recently popular drama series "The Ordinary Jackpot" struck a chord with many workers through its portrayal of Lee Ji-hye, a contract employee whose anxiety and frustration resonated with viewers. Now, a new survey suggests that reality is even starker than the show depicted.
Fewer than two in 10 fixed-term workers at the same workplace ever make the transition to permanent employment, according to a civic group survey released Sunday. About six in 10, meanwhile, remain trapped in precarious work even after their two-year contract period expires.
Workplace harassment advocacy group Jikjang Gapjil 119 commissioned polling firm Global Research to survey 1,000 workers aged 19 and older nationwide from Sept. 1 to 7 on discrimination against fixed-term workers, and released the findings Sunday.
Among the 463 respondents who said they had worked as fixed-term employees, only 14.7 percent said they had converted to permanent positions at the same workplace.
Some 30.5 percent said they had moved into a different form of precarious employment at the same workplace, while 28.5 percent said they had moved to a fixed-term position at a different employer. In total, 59 percent ultimately failed to escape the cycle of precarious work.
Those who moved to permanent positions at a different employer accounted for 26.3 percent of respondents.
When asked about the most unreasonable aspect of fixed-term work, the largest share — 72.4 percent — cited job insecurity stemming from uncertainty about conversion to permanent employment.
That was followed by an inability to raise concerns about unfair treatment for fear of contract termination or other disadvantages (65.4 percent), financial discrimination such as lower wages and bonuses compared with permanent staff (65.2 percent), and limited career development due to assignment to routine or support roles (60.3 percent).
Some 35.4 percent of respondents said they had experienced unfair orders or workplace harassment under the threat of contract termination.
A total of 81.7 percent of survey participants agreed that permanent workers should be hired for ongoing, continuous duties.
Jikjang Gapjil 119 also raised concerns about a bill the ruling party introduced Tuesday that it said could deepen job insecurity and discrimination for fixed-term workers. The bill is known as the "super-wide special zone law."
The legislation, designed to support companies in developing regional strategic industries, includes a provision that would extend the maximum period for employing fixed-term workers from the current two years to four years.
"Once you start carving out exceptions to the basic principles of labor law in the name of promoting industry, you ultimately set a precedent in which workers' rights are rolled back to suit corporate needs," said Lee Jin-a, a labor attorney at Jikjang Gapjil 119.
sun@heraldcorp.com
