Lee Myung-bak to Redesign Labor-Management Culture
By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
The coming administration expressed its willingness Tuesday to crack down on unauthorized strikes by unionists, pointing out that the unstable labor-management relations have hampered economic recovery.
``Foreign investors say their major concerns include unstable labor-management relations and unionized workers' violent protests,'' Rep. Lee Joo-ho, a member of the presidential transition committee, said in his meeting with officials from the Ministry of Labor Tuesday.
``Considering that reviving the economy is the greatest task of the Lee Myung-bak administration, foreign investment is important,'' the official said. ``Accordingly, stable labor-management relations are important.''
The next government is poised to crack down on illegal labor activity, which focuses on political issues, as well as violent strikes, sources on the transition team said.
The lawmaker said the next government will put an end to illegal demonstrations, and establish law and order, which should be prioritized for the good of society.
Major labor groups are considering a joint struggle against the next government.
Lee Suk-haeng, chief of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, threatened to stage a protest against President-elect Lee's labor policies.
He said the President-elect plans to force sacrifice and pain on workers, in the name of economic revival. ``We must assemble our forces, and square off with the next government.''
Rep. Lee said, ``The core of President-elect Lee Myung-bak's labor polices will be job creation, which he has promised to achieve through increased corporate investment and relaxed business regulations ― all of which are aimed at achieving 7 percent annual economic growth during his five-year term.''
The transition team projects that the next administration can create 3 million more decent jobs by boosting the finance, information technology and culture industries, as well as regional businesses.
The incoming government has proposed broadening the current dialogue system regarding labor issues.
President-elect Lee has promised to add a new civilian representative to the tripartite Economic and Social Development Commission, which currently consists of representatives of labor, management and the government.
Noting that the presidential advisory body founded in 1998 has not been serving its stated purpose of peacefully resolving labor issues, the next President suggested both broadening and decentralizing its dialogue channels to accomplish this.