ID :
69384
Tue, 07/07/2009 - 20:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/69384
The shortlink copeid
Ruling party seeks unilateral passage of labor bill
SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) will ask the
assembly speaker to force a vote on a disputed non-regular workers bill within
days if consultations with the main opposition fail to reach a compromise, the
party's floor leader said Tuesday.
The GNP and two minority parties previously had agreed to a one-time 18-month
extension of the non-permanent workers law, which currently requires employers to
either lay off or officially hire the workers after their two-year contract
expires.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has rejected the GNP's revised proposal
of a 12-month suspension instead of 18 months, claiming that they will only
accept a final solution to keeping the workers employed.
"What we need first is to prevent massive layoffs, and then we can seek a
fundamental solution and a social compromise," Rep. Ahn Sang-soo, GNP floor
leader, said during a radio interview.
"I wonder if the DP really cares about the workers," Ahn said. His party will
ask the assembly speaker to invoke his authority and call a vote unless there was
substantive progress on Wednesday.
The government and the GNP say up to 1 million of some 5.5 million non-regular
employees could be dismissed soon because of the two-year limit that took effect
at the start of this month. The non-regular workers bill was enacted in July
2007.
The GNP controls a majority 169 seats in the 299-seat National Assembly, giving
it enough numerical dominance to pass the bill without the DP's cooperation. The
DP has been threatening to physically block the bill from being introduced on
the floor.
"I will convene a government-ruling party meeting to seek plans on unemployment
and do everything to prevent layoffs," Ahn said.
Meanwhile, the progressive People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy filed
a petition against Labor Minister Lee Young-hee, accusing him of negligence of
duty. The group charged that Lee has failed to come up with fundamental solutions
to the current problem over the past two years.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
assembly speaker to force a vote on a disputed non-regular workers bill within
days if consultations with the main opposition fail to reach a compromise, the
party's floor leader said Tuesday.
The GNP and two minority parties previously had agreed to a one-time 18-month
extension of the non-permanent workers law, which currently requires employers to
either lay off or officially hire the workers after their two-year contract
expires.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has rejected the GNP's revised proposal
of a 12-month suspension instead of 18 months, claiming that they will only
accept a final solution to keeping the workers employed.
"What we need first is to prevent massive layoffs, and then we can seek a
fundamental solution and a social compromise," Rep. Ahn Sang-soo, GNP floor
leader, said during a radio interview.
"I wonder if the DP really cares about the workers," Ahn said. His party will
ask the assembly speaker to invoke his authority and call a vote unless there was
substantive progress on Wednesday.
The government and the GNP say up to 1 million of some 5.5 million non-regular
employees could be dismissed soon because of the two-year limit that took effect
at the start of this month. The non-regular workers bill was enacted in July
2007.
The GNP controls a majority 169 seats in the 299-seat National Assembly, giving
it enough numerical dominance to pass the bill without the DP's cooperation. The
DP has been threatening to physically block the bill from being introduced on
the floor.
"I will convene a government-ruling party meeting to seek plans on unemployment
and do everything to prevent layoffs," Ahn said.
Meanwhile, the progressive People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy filed
a petition against Labor Minister Lee Young-hee, accusing him of negligence of
duty. The group charged that Lee has failed to come up with fundamental solutions
to the current problem over the past two years.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
