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Number of work days lost due to strikes at 10-year low
Employment and Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik announces measures to improve labor unions' accounting transparency as part of the government's labor reform efforts at the Government Complex in Seoul, Oct. 5. Courtesy of Ministry of Employment and Labor
By Jun Ji-hye
The number of work days lost due to strikes hit a 10-year low at 330,726 days this year, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced, Wednesday, attributing the achievement to the government’s adherence to laws and principles in its ongoing push for labor reform.
From May 10 last year — when the Yoon Suk Yeol government commenced — to Nov. 30 this year, the total number of work days lost due to strikes stood at 560,357 days, 36.8 percent of the average of previous administrations at 1.52 million days tallied during the same period.
The number stood at 2.35 million days during the Roh Moo-hyun government, 1.23 million days during the Lee Myung-bak government, 1.2 million days during the Park Geun-hye government and 1.32 million days during the Moon Jae-in administration.
The ministry also noted that the average duration of labor-management disputes per case was nine days — the shortest since 2015 when the figure was tallied at 29.9 days.
Labor reforms are one of three areas of change President Yoon Suk Yeol is pursuing, along with education and pension reforms.
The Yoon government’s labor reform agenda has emphasized laws and principles to improve outdated norms and practices, and create a sustainable labor market that can be a substantial help to both workers and managers.
During a Cabinet meeting on Feb. 21, Yoon instructed the labor ministry to sternly respond to any illegal and unfair activities, saying the government’s important task this year is to build a “decent market economy system where labor unions are like labor unions and business owners are like business owners.”
The ministry has since enhanced its inspection and supervision into unlawful acts committed by unions and employers, and encouraged both sides to solve disputes through mediation and negotiation.
The ministry said some workplaces underwent difficulties due to labor disputes, citing the general strike staged by the unionized rail workers in September where, afterward, an amicable settlement was reached in wage negotiations at the Korea Railroad Corp.
“Managements and unions should do their best to reach agreements through sincere dialogues, and strikes should be the last resort,” Employment and Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik said.
“In the New Year, we will continue to stick to laws and principles, while pushing for various tasks to protect workers in vulnerable industries and improve the unfair structure in the labor market.”