ed Reform in limbo

The labor unions of 38 state companies and organizations are poised to put up a strong resistance against the government’s move to “normalize’’ poorly-managed and heavily-indebted state companies.

The unions last week reached an agreement to reject the government’s normalization measures, including a new evaluation scheme for state firms, and decided to hold a meeting on Jan. 23 to discuss action plans under the guidance of the country’s two labor umbrella groups.

These resistant moves are understandable to a certain extent, given that the government has been passing the buck for their poor management to state firms. It’s also natural for them to raise voices against the government’s direct intervention in welfare and wages for employees.

Their mistrust in the government is winning public sympathy, too, considering that even the incumbent administration still sticks to its decades-old “parachute appointments.’’

It’s even more dumbfounding to hear that the number of political appointees at state firms and organizations has tripled since the nation’s top economic policymaker declared the “party” in the public sector was “over” late last year.

Nevertheless, it would be pointless if these unions continue to reject the rationale for reform, given the current mess in their management status.

Few can deny that the combined debt of more than 500 trillion won owed by the nation’s state firms and organizations would stifle our national finances in the years to come.

It’s also well known that state firms, which are often called “God’s workplaces’’ or “iron-clad rice pots,’’ are met with derision by the public.

While it’s true the government’s normalization package is still flawed, this can’t be a rightful reason for the unions to resist the rigorous flow of reform in the public sector. We feel it mandatory for them to cooperate with the government’s ongoing restructuring drive and make their companies and organizations reborn as sound entities.

The government, for its part, needs to push ahead with the reform of the public sector with precise programs. Specifically, it should uproot the bad practice of compelling state firms to undertake unviable state projects and stop its revolving-door appointments immediately.