ID :
206951
Wed, 09/14/2011 - 06:02
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/206951
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Ruling party chief pledges to raise wages of temporary workers
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL (Yonhap) - The leader of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) vowed Wednesday to increase average wages of temporary workers to 80 percent of those of regular employees as part of efforts to help reduce pay discrimination at workplaces.
"The GNP will put a policy priority on irregular workers so that they would not feel a sense of deprivation," Rep. Hong Joon-pyo said in a radio address.
The ratio of temporary workers in South Korea to the total workforce was 21.3 percent last year, the fourth-highest among member nations. They are paid 45 percent less than those on longer contracts, according to the 2010 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
His remarks came after the unpopular party last week unveiled a series of measures aimed at improving people's livelihoods, including the withdrawal of additional tax cuts for high earners and big businesses, and expanding the state budget for tuition reduction, to woo voters ahead of the general elections in April next year.
Hong said his party will push to spend additional tax revenue of 3.5 trillion won (US$3.2 billion) on welfare programs for the needy people.
"We will strengthen middle-class friendly polices to give them more opportunities," Hong stressed.
To reduce discrimination between regular and temporary workers in workplaces, the government and the GNP agreed to make a set of guidelines that instruct employers to offer fair pay and welfare benefits to irregular workers and give labor officials the power to take a more aggressive approach to punish violators.
SEOUL (Yonhap) - The leader of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) vowed Wednesday to increase average wages of temporary workers to 80 percent of those of regular employees as part of efforts to help reduce pay discrimination at workplaces.
"The GNP will put a policy priority on irregular workers so that they would not feel a sense of deprivation," Rep. Hong Joon-pyo said in a radio address.
The ratio of temporary workers in South Korea to the total workforce was 21.3 percent last year, the fourth-highest among member nations. They are paid 45 percent less than those on longer contracts, according to the 2010 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
His remarks came after the unpopular party last week unveiled a series of measures aimed at improving people's livelihoods, including the withdrawal of additional tax cuts for high earners and big businesses, and expanding the state budget for tuition reduction, to woo voters ahead of the general elections in April next year.
Hong said his party will push to spend additional tax revenue of 3.5 trillion won (US$3.2 billion) on welfare programs for the needy people.
"We will strengthen middle-class friendly polices to give them more opportunities," Hong stressed.
To reduce discrimination between regular and temporary workers in workplaces, the government and the GNP agreed to make a set of guidelines that instruct employers to offer fair pay and welfare benefits to irregular workers and give labor officials the power to take a more aggressive approach to punish violators.
