MZ labor union: No need for government subsidies

The Refresh Labor Council, a labor organization consisting of millennial and Gen Z workers, has decided not to receive government subsidies. The union announced on Friday that, after an internal vote, it had chosen not to apply for a subsidy under the Revised Plan for Labor Organization Support Project by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which was announced last month. “We decided to enhance our autonomy by not relying on subsidies," the union stated. "We hope these subsidies will go to marginalized workers who are in the blind spot of labor rights.”

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has requested a response by Monday after sending out guidelines for its support project for labor unions. This is a follow-up measure after revamping its original project last month to allow newly established labor unions to receive government subsidies.

The original project primarily provided subsidies to the two largest labor unions and their subsidiary organizations, but the revised version allows newly established labor organizations to receive half of the 4.4 billion won budget for the project. The eligibility criteria have also been expanded from labor unions to councils consisting of workers, leading some to see it as a revision aimed at supporting the Refresh Labor Council.


hee@donga.com