Small business owners have come out against the government's push for a 4.5-day workweek.
The Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise (KFME) held a press conference on the 1st in the KFME main conference room and said it opposes the 4.5-day workweek unless the abolition of weekly holiday allowance and the withdrawal of the plan to apply the Labor Standards Act to business sites with fewer than five employees come first. The federation also plans to launch a "1 million signature campaign."
Song Chi-young, head of the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise (KFME), said in a press statement, "If a 4.5-day workweek is introduced while the weekly holiday allowance remains, small and micro business owners will suffer a double burden," adding, "The weekly holiday allowance is an outdated system that must be abolished at this moment when a 4.5-day workweek is being discussed."
He went on to say, "With the expanded application of the Labor Standards Act to business sites with fewer than five employees, there are concerns about an explosion of extra pay, including holiday work and night work," arguing, "It will cause irreparable chaos in the working conditions of small business sectors."
Song added, "We will immediately and forcefully carry out the '1 million signature campaign to oppose a 4.5-day workweek without abolishing the weekly holiday allowance.'"
The Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise (KFME) said it will oppose any attempt to shift burdens onto small business owners and, fundamentally, will mobilize all means to respond strongly to resolve the structure of excessive labor cost burdens, laying out its response plan.