Life has not changed much under Moon administration
President Moon Jae-in posted some remarks on social media on the occasion of May Day, which fell Wednesday.
On Facebook, he underlined that he has tried to respect the labor sector, saying that improving the quality of life for workers was among the most crucial policy goals of his administration. For this, he said his government has pushed various policy initiatives, such as increasing the minimum wage, transitioning irregular workers to regular positions and introducing the 52-hour workweek.
It is undeniable that Moon has shown more sympathy toward the struggles faced by the working classes compared to his recent predecessors, and has tried to reflect their voices in his polices. From the very beginning of his administration, he has shown special attention to the issues faced by irregular workers and vowed to open "an era of zero irregular workers." Such a bold declaration right after Moon took office in May 2017 raised the hopes of numerous irregular workers in various sectors of society, but things have changed little for them. Ironically, the pro-labor policies have only aggravated the discontent of the labor sector and many workplaces and workers are complaining of the mounting side effects. Small business owners have complained of the burden of the increase in the minimum wage. And many companies and workplaces have been reluctant about the transition to regular positions because of the expected increase in costs, leading to hiring cuts and layoffs.
The increasing complaints show that Moon's labor policies are not entirely effective despite the good intentions behind them. The sad reality is that Korea is still a very tough place for workers. It has some of the longest work hours in the world. And many people who are employed are stuck in irregular positions, and not represented by unions. Korea has one of the highest rates of irregular workers, with one out of three in the entire workforce holding such jobs.
The irregular workers face disadvantages in various aspects of their jobs, including pay and other benefits. And in Korea, they are often forced to work in very dangerous conditions, leading often to serious workplace injuries and deaths. One of the latest such cases was the death of a worker in his early 20s who became stuck on a coal conveyor belt at the Taean Thermal Power Plant operated by Korean Western Power (KOWEPO) in South Chungcheong Province. It is urgent to carry out measures to protect irregular workers from industrial accidents and punish employers who do not adhere strictly to safety rules.
The massive rallies in Seoul on May Day clearly show the mounting frustration of irregular workers due to their ceaseless plight. The Moon administration should pay more attention to their voices and come up with realistic measures to provide more protection and security for them.
President Moon Jae-in posted some remarks on social media on the occasion of May Day, which fell Wednesday.
On Facebook, he underlined that he has tried to respect the labor sector, saying that improving the quality of life for workers was among the most crucial policy goals of his administration. For this, he said his government has pushed various policy initiatives, such as increasing the minimum wage, transitioning irregular workers to regular positions and introducing the 52-hour workweek.
It is undeniable that Moon has shown more sympathy toward the struggles faced by the working classes compared to his recent predecessors, and has tried to reflect their voices in his polices. From the very beginning of his administration, he has shown special attention to the issues faced by irregular workers and vowed to open "an era of zero irregular workers." Such a bold declaration right after Moon took office in May 2017 raised the hopes of numerous irregular workers in various sectors of society, but things have changed little for them. Ironically, the pro-labor policies have only aggravated the discontent of the labor sector and many workplaces and workers are complaining of the mounting side effects. Small business owners have complained of the burden of the increase in the minimum wage. And many companies and workplaces have been reluctant about the transition to regular positions because of the expected increase in costs, leading to hiring cuts and layoffs.
The increasing complaints show that Moon's labor policies are not entirely effective despite the good intentions behind them. The sad reality is that Korea is still a very tough place for workers. It has some of the longest work hours in the world. And many people who are employed are stuck in irregular positions, and not represented by unions. Korea has one of the highest rates of irregular workers, with one out of three in the entire workforce holding such jobs.
The irregular workers face disadvantages in various aspects of their jobs, including pay and other benefits. And in Korea, they are often forced to work in very dangerous conditions, leading often to serious workplace injuries and deaths. One of the latest such cases was the death of a worker in his early 20s who became stuck on a coal conveyor belt at the Taean Thermal Power Plant operated by Korean Western Power (KOWEPO) in South Chungcheong Province. It is urgent to carry out measures to protect irregular workers from industrial accidents and punish employers who do not adhere strictly to safety rules.
The massive rallies in Seoul on May Day clearly show the mounting frustration of irregular workers due to their ceaseless plight. The Moon administration should pay more attention to their voices and come up with realistic measures to provide more protection and security for them.
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