ID :
43098
Thu, 01/29/2009 - 16:57
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/43098
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(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Jan. 29) - Securing jobs, job security
The effects of economic stagnation are now affecting the job market. The aftermath of falling sales and restructuring is translating into less hiring and higher unemployment.
Most exposed are non-regular workers whose job security is
the weakest.
Under current labor protection law, an employer is required to convert
non-regular workers to regular workers after two years in the workplace. This
law, although seeming to increase job security for non-regular workers, is in
truth proving to do the very opposite.
Companies burdened by the mandatory conversion have either avoided hiring
non-regular workers or terminating their contracts before they complete two years
on the job. In other words, non-regular workers are being driven out of the
workplace.
Once the economic stagnation deepens, the number of non-regular workers removed
from their jobs will increase further.
For the reasons outlined above, since last year the government has been trying to
amend the law to extend the temporary employment period from the current two
years to four years. The goal is to temporarily reduce the burden of companies
and ease the pressure to lay off non-regular workers. However, extending the term
cannot solve the fundamental problem.
During the emergency economic countermeasure meeting held on Jan. 22, President
Lee Myung-bak said, ???This only postpones the problem to two years later,??? and
demanded a measure that tackles the source of the non-regular workers??? problem.
At this point, despite whether the non-regular worker protection law is abolished
or not, we urge that it be reviewed from square one. A more realistic measure
that could help non-regular workers get jobs should be sought. To achieve this,
it is necessary for the established regular workers??? labor union to change
their ways of thinking.
Without the regular workers conceding ground, job security for non-regular
workers will be impossible. The key issue, however, is not improving the
treatment of non-regular workers but rather to secure more jobs.
The law on non-regular workers should be approached from a different dimension
from mere job sharing.
(END)
Most exposed are non-regular workers whose job security is
the weakest.
Under current labor protection law, an employer is required to convert
non-regular workers to regular workers after two years in the workplace. This
law, although seeming to increase job security for non-regular workers, is in
truth proving to do the very opposite.
Companies burdened by the mandatory conversion have either avoided hiring
non-regular workers or terminating their contracts before they complete two years
on the job. In other words, non-regular workers are being driven out of the
workplace.
Once the economic stagnation deepens, the number of non-regular workers removed
from their jobs will increase further.
For the reasons outlined above, since last year the government has been trying to
amend the law to extend the temporary employment period from the current two
years to four years. The goal is to temporarily reduce the burden of companies
and ease the pressure to lay off non-regular workers. However, extending the term
cannot solve the fundamental problem.
During the emergency economic countermeasure meeting held on Jan. 22, President
Lee Myung-bak said, ???This only postpones the problem to two years later,??? and
demanded a measure that tackles the source of the non-regular workers??? problem.
At this point, despite whether the non-regular worker protection law is abolished
or not, we urge that it be reviewed from square one. A more realistic measure
that could help non-regular workers get jobs should be sought. To achieve this,
it is necessary for the established regular workers??? labor union to change
their ways of thinking.
Without the regular workers conceding ground, job security for non-regular
workers will be impossible. The key issue, however, is not improving the
treatment of non-regular workers but rather to secure more jobs.
The law on non-regular workers should be approached from a different dimension
from mere job sharing.
(END)
