``Same Wage For Five-Day Work Week``

The Korean Tripartite Commission held a main session meeting yesterday, attended by Kim Ho-Jin Minister of Labor Affairs, Kim Chang-Sung, chair of the Korea Employers` Federation, and Lee Nam-Soon, chair of the Federation of Korea Trade Unions (FKTU), and discussed the pending issues, such as a five-day work week.

In the meeting, both labor and management group said that ``the government`s hurried initiative on the new work schedule seems to presuppose that the agreement between labor and management group is not necessary.``

Kim Chang-Sung said that ``the government`s initiative to introduce a five-day work week is to bypass the Tripartite Commission. It is hard to understand from a view of management group.``

Lee Nam-Soon also emphasized the agreement within the Tripartite Commission saying that ``if the government enforces the plan earlier, it may expect the effects such as creation of employment and the vitalization of local economy. However, the government`s hurried initiative may bring about the division of public opinion.``

In relation to this, Minister Kim said that ``the government has not made any move to bypass the Tripartite Commission, but rather hopes to make an agreement on the proposal by the Commission by August to prepare for the legislation within this year.``

Jang Young-Chul, chairperson of the Tripartite Commission, said, ``It is, in fact, true that some people don`t trust the Commission after the government`s announcement of the enforcement of a five-day work week. However, what the government wants to achieve is the early agreement of the Tripartite Commission. Therefore, we will make efforts to draw an agreement in August.

However, Shin-Hong, chair of the special committee on working hour, said that ``the labor and management group have different opinions with regard to the schedule for the reduction of working hour and the improvement plan for the monthly-yearly vacation and the menstrual leave.``

According to the Tripartite Commission, the following proposals have come closer to an agreement; public sector will play the leading role, a grace period is to be given to the small and medium companies before enforcement, monthly-yearly vacation is to be integrated with a consideration for the use of vacation, limits of overtime work and bonus rates of wage is to be maintained, and flexible working hour unit is to be expanded.

It was reported that the Tripartite Commission planned to stipulate the maintenance of the existing level of wage in the final agreement even if the working hour is reduced.

In addition to this, the Commission announced a statement of agreement. According to the statement, the Commission will correct the number of reduction of human resource in the field of communication from 3,756 people to 998, and the government and companies will actively support the workers` voluntary vocational training.

Kim Joon-Seok kjs359@donga.com