Representatives of tripartite talks hold closed-door meeting

By Jhoo Dong-chan

Representatives of the government, labor and management have opened the possibility of resuming the stalled Tripartite Commission negotiations, but made clear that their differences on major issues remain.

Sources said Saturday that Labor Minister Lee Ki-kweon, the Korea Employer’s Federation (KEF) Chairman Park Byoung-won and Kim Dong-man, head of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) reportedly met at a restaurant in LG Twin Towers, in Yeouido, Thursday.

On the same day, President Park Geun-hye addressed the nation, calling for the tripartite talks to be quickly resumed and for all sides to make concessions to produce a deal to reform the nation’s rigid labor market.

Minister Lee persuaded union representatives to return to negotiations that fell apart in early April after the FKTU’s withdrawal, protesting the government’s proposals.

“Labor market reform is the government’s most important issue for sustainable development,” Lee told the Korea Times before the meeting.

“In order to solve problems of the nation’s youth unemployment and faltering economy, representatives of labor should first return to the talks unconditionally and discuss matters with us.”

At the meeting, however, the FKTU head Kim reaffirmed his existing position that talks will not take place unless unless the government excludes the issues of easing rules for layoffs and changing employment regulations.

“The government’s proposal will just make it easier for companies to lay off workers,” an FTKU official said.

Both sides only agreed in principle that they will make more efforts to resume the tripartite negotiations.

The sources also said that they agreed to discuss the “peak wage system” if the talks resume.

As more young people will have to compete for fewer job opportunities with an official retirement age extension next year, the government has pushed for the system.

However, unions have long protested the system, under which employees over a certain age will get their salary cut, claiming it will just force workers to retire early.