1. Results of parliamentary inspection by the Environmental & Labor Committee
The Environmental & Labor Committee (ELC) in the National Assembly held parliamentary inspection from 26 September to 15 October. The inspection was on 58 government institutions such as the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Employment & Labor, and the Korea Meteorological Administration, etc. As the opposition parties now hold a majority (10 of 16 seats) in the ELC, the number of entrepreneurs as witnesses and testifiers dramatically reversed from the decrease since 2012.
Some witnesses and testifiers were chosen based on agreements between the ruling and opposition parties, but the list was adjusted during the inspection so that assistant administrators from the three parties had to continue discussions until the deadline for appointing witnesses.
[Table 1] Number of Non-expert Witnesses (Testifiers) Appointed for Parliamentary Inspections
|
Year |
2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
2016 |
|
Non-experts |
48 (42) |
47 (19) | 12 (10) | 16 (26) |
59 (63) |
|
Enterprises/ Organizations |
26 (0) |
25 (2) | 8 (1) | 4 (2) |
25 (7) |
For labor inspections, major issues that were raised included ▴ fundraising for the Youth Hope Foundation ▴problems regarding government attempts to adopt performance-based wage systems ▴vested interests in trade unions including right to employment for children of union members ▴establishing a social dialogue institution under the National Assembly to discuss labor reforms.
Many questions from the opposition parties focused on allegations of forced fundraising for the Youth Hope Foundation and introduction of performance-based wage systems by the government possibly violating the law. The opposition parties also examined witnesses regarding some issues at specific workplaces.
The ruling party emphasized the alleged corruption in trade unions regarding hereditary “rights” in employment at large and public enterprises, and unlawful collective agreements and regulations. The party also called upon the government to be more active in carrying out legislation on labor reform.
Both the ruling and opposition parties supported establishment a new social dialogue institution under the National Assembly to continue discussion on labor reforms.
[Table 2] Main Inquiries Raised with the MOEL during 2016 Parliamentary Inspection
|
Topic |
Main Points |
|
Youth Hope Foundation |
▴ Allegations related to procedures for establishment (suspicion that some enterprises and their executives and staff members were forced to give funds) ▴ Allegations that the minutes of operational sessions were not presented, and workers from the MOEL and affiliated organizations were illegally dispatched to the foundation |
|
Performance-based wage system |
▴ The government forced companies to adopt performance-based wage systems, which led to serious conflicts between labor and management. ▴ Whether performance-based wage systems were discussed as part of wage reforms during discussions on extending retirement age in the National Assembly in 2013 |
|
Vested interests in trade unions |
▴ Cases identified of unfair employment practices such as the “right” to employment for children of union members in large enterprises, necessitating a fact-finding survey. ▴ Some trade union rules contain clauses which violate current law (assisting a fleeing suspect), and more transparency is required in accounting of membership dues. |
|
Establishment of a social dialogue institution |
▴ A social dialogue institution is needed for labor issues, including labor reform, under the National Assembly (assistant administrators from the parties were asked engage in consultations with each other). |
|
Issues at specific workplaces |
▴ Failure to provide proper data on epidemiological surveys and industrial accidents by some companies ▴ Allegations of covering up illegal dispatches and industrial accidents ▴ Allegations regarding unfair labor practices such as worker substitution in production (during strikes) |