Yoon Seok-yeol, a presidential candidate for the People’s Strength, criticized the issue of applying the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees.
In a conversation with reporters after the National Assembly Election Countermeasures Committee on the morning of the 29th, Candidate Yoon said, “No one opposes the expansion of the Labor Standards Act to guarantee workers’ rights.” As a result, it can end up at a disadvantage for workers, so shouldn’t it be judged by comparison?” he said.
Even within the power of the people, there are voices calling for the full application of the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees. At the policy discussion held by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions on the 24th, Rep. Lim Jae-jae, a member of the People’s Power labor policy, who participated in the policy discussion held by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, argued that “the full application of the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees is a task of the times that cannot be postponed.”
Article 11 (1) of the Labor Standards Act stipulates that this Act applies to workplaces employing five or more workers on a regular basis. According to the enforcement decree, only some regulations, such as prohibition of forced labor and labor contracts, are applied to workplaces with fewer than 5 employees. As a result, it is known that about 3.5 million people are not covered by the Labor Standards Act. It seems that workers in worse working conditions are excluded from legal protection. This is why not only the labor community but also the political circles have been insisting on the full application of the Labor Standards Act. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea also recommended that the government expand the Labor Standards Act to workplaces with fewer than five employees in 2008.
However, Candidate Yoon said, “Even now, even businesses with fewer than five employees are working on important issues. In addition, he added, “If the minimum wage is raised for small business owners and those who work there, they will not be able to work any more, and the result will be that they have to work two or three jobs,” he added.
