``Suspend Negotiation for Reduction of Labor Hours``

Lee Nam-Soon, the chairperson of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, announced at the press conference in the presence of the representatives of the 28 industries yesterday that ``FKTU stops all negotiation for the reduction of labor hours.``

Chairperson Lee criticized that ``the management side has tried to nullify the negotiations for the reduction of the labor hours by exaggerating the economic crisis after the 10.25 re-election and by-election. We decide to stop the negotiation because the negotiation for the reduction of the labor hours without preserving the wages of laborers is meaningless.``

In addition, he added ``we will request for labor hours of 40 hours a week and 5 days a week on the condition that the wages and labor condition will not be degraded and will cooperated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on behalf of it. We will directly discuss with the government about the current issues such as the reduction of labor hours and the problems of the irregular employed.``

The representatives of KFTU visited the Korea Employers Federation to pretest yesterday and will have a rally in front of KEF Headquarters on Nov. 15. KFTU is also planning to call a mass rally to protest against the government and the management side at Boramae Park, Seoul, on Nov. 18.

However, in response to the labor side criticism, KEF announced that ``the reason why the negotiation was not improved is in fact because the KFTU all of a sudden insisted on the preservation of monthly or annual allowance.``

Chairperson Lee of KFTU announced the suspension of the negotiation but left a room for a behind negotiation, saying that KFTU would not withdraw from the Trilateral Committee.

leej@donga.com