ID :
68261
Mon, 06/29/2009 - 18:18
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/68261
The shortlink copeid
Tension looms in Assembly over disputed bills
SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- Tension was running high at the National Assembly on
Monday as the ruling party sought to handle a set of controversial bills on
non-regular workers and media deregulation.
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) aimed to hold a plenary session later in
the day to pass a revision to the law on non-regular workers, a subject of heated
debate between rival parties here.
But whether the GNP will actually put the bill to a vote was unclear as political
and labor union leaders were still hoping for a last-minute compromise.
Under the current law, adopted in July 2007, companies are obliged to promote
irregular workers to regular status after two years of employment at a single
workplace.
Since last Friday, three ranking members from the GNP, the main opposition
Democratic Party (DP) and the splinter opposition Liberty Forward Party (LFP)
have held discussions with the nation's two major labor unions to try to hammer
out an agreement on the terms of the bill.
The GNP and the LFP proposed a compromise involving a two-year grace period of
the law and a 1-trillion won ($780 million) budget for the transfer of workers'
status from irregular to regular. But the two umbrella labor unions -- the Korean
Confederation of Trade unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions --
strongly opposed the moratorium, saying they "can't accept any discussions based
on a grace period of the law."
Because of poor economic conditions, only a few employers are likely to promote
their non-regular workers -- including contract workers and part-time workers --
to regular employees when the two years are up, suggesting mass layoffs await in
the coming months.
The rival parties are also deadlocked over media deregulation bills.
The GNP is pushing revisions to media laws to allow cross-ownership of newspapers
and broadcasting companies. Opposition parties call the revisions a government
attempt to take control of news outlets and demand the proposed revisions be
fully negotiated and agreed upon before being passed.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
Monday as the ruling party sought to handle a set of controversial bills on
non-regular workers and media deregulation.
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) aimed to hold a plenary session later in
the day to pass a revision to the law on non-regular workers, a subject of heated
debate between rival parties here.
But whether the GNP will actually put the bill to a vote was unclear as political
and labor union leaders were still hoping for a last-minute compromise.
Under the current law, adopted in July 2007, companies are obliged to promote
irregular workers to regular status after two years of employment at a single
workplace.
Since last Friday, three ranking members from the GNP, the main opposition
Democratic Party (DP) and the splinter opposition Liberty Forward Party (LFP)
have held discussions with the nation's two major labor unions to try to hammer
out an agreement on the terms of the bill.
The GNP and the LFP proposed a compromise involving a two-year grace period of
the law and a 1-trillion won ($780 million) budget for the transfer of workers'
status from irregular to regular. But the two umbrella labor unions -- the Korean
Confederation of Trade unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions --
strongly opposed the moratorium, saying they "can't accept any discussions based
on a grace period of the law."
Because of poor economic conditions, only a few employers are likely to promote
their non-regular workers -- including contract workers and part-time workers --
to regular employees when the two years are up, suggesting mass layoffs await in
the coming months.
The rival parties are also deadlocked over media deregulation bills.
The GNP is pushing revisions to media laws to allow cross-ownership of newspapers
and broadcasting companies. Opposition parties call the revisions a government
attempt to take control of news outlets and demand the proposed revisions be
fully negotiated and agreed upon before being passed.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
