Irregular Workers in the Public Sector Will Become Regular Workers Soon

Starting in October, 71,861 irregular workers in public sectors such as central governmental offices, schools, and public corporations will be given regular worker status.

On June 26, the state council led by prime minister Han Duck-soo unveiled the government’s plans to change indefinite working contracts, improve the manpower dispatching process and address workplace discrimination.

Among 206,742 part-time and contract workers in 10,741 public organizations, 71,861 all-time irregular employees who worked for more than 2 years consistently at one place (as of late May) will become regular workers.

However, despite working for more than two years, some with certain conditions will be excluded from the upgrade in status. These include workers with special certificates such as doctoral degrees, alternative workers for those on maternal leave, workers 55 years and older, and public workers employed in government-made jobs to reduce unemployment.

When the government categorized irregular workers getting upgraded status by the type of work they do, cafeteria workers accounted for 44.4% of the total, the highest proportion. Administrative assistants took up 10.3% of the pie; teaching or laboratory assistants 9.2%; and school accountants 5.3%.

For irregular employees who have worked less than two years, the government has decided to grant them upgraded status in June next year according to a second promotion plan.

The selected irregular workers in the first phase will become regular workers starting October 1 after public agencies change their organizational structures and personnel rosters by the end of September.

The government expects an additional budget allocation of 15.1 billion won this year and 130.6 billion won in 2008 to fund its worker status plans.

Problems experienced by irregular workers will be addressed by implementing the government’s new plan for tackling workplace discrimination.

The public bidding process for manpower agencies will also be changed.

The government is planning to select a contract worker agency that pays a higher income than the market rate dictates, not just the minimum wage. In addition, a new working conditions protection act has been hammered out allowing contract workers to receive pension and four major social security benefits aside from their salary.

libra@donga.com