President Lee Jae-myung said on the 10th that small business owners should also be granted the right to organize and the right to bargain on par with labor unions. Currently, franchisee associations can demand collective bargaining with headquarters, but if headquarters refuse, there is no way to compel it. Because of this, small business owners have typically responded individually, but now he means to grant authority for collective actions such as group bargaining.
Lee said, "These days we should allow small business owners to engage in group bargaining, and while we do not know what will happen with collective action (such as strikes), at a minimum we should allow the right to organize," adding, "We should give the opportunity and the right to bargain collectively by issue among suppliers, among chain stores, or among branches." He also said, "Right now, under the Fair Trade Act, (collective acts) are all punished and prohibited," and "Just as workers are inherently the weaker party and are guaranteed the three basic labor rights, we should guarantee small business owners the right to organize."
He also said he would fix the current Act on the Protection, Etc. of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employees. Since the law instead fuels "forced unemployment," a system overhaul is needed. Lee said, "The legal clause that says after two years of contract you must make the worker permanent looks very plausible and good in form, but in reality, the hiring side absolutely will not extend contracts beyond two years."
Although there is a legal clause that after two years of contract the worker is converted to a permanent position, in practice it is abused by deliberately setting periods like "one year and 11 months" to avoid contracts of two years or more. Lee said, "There are aspects that actually force unemployment. What was created to protect workers has in fact become a 'forced neglect law,'" adding, "Let's consider how to resolve such problems in a practical way."
At the roundtable that day, the "introduction of physical artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace" was also mentioned as a key agenda item.
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Chairperson Yang Kyung-soo said, "Given the historical experience that automation means job losses, it is natural that there are many concerns," adding, "In particular, the introduction of physical AI seeks not job changes but complete disappearance." He continued, "In that regard, comprehensive discussion and measures are needed on matters such as the social safety net, labor rights, and how to recoup corporations' excess profits generated by AI."
In response, Lee said, "When we introduced the Smart Factory in the past, statistics from the field show that employment actually increased in step with productivity. More personnel were needed to improve and operate the Smart Factory," adding, "There is no need to be overly fearful." He went on, "It will be unavoidable. That is why we must craft measures," and "If the labor community engages in discussions, we will accept as much as possible within the feasible range, turn it into policy, and implement it."