Gov't pushes Yellow Envelope Act

[Anchor]

As you have seen, with the imminent introduction of the Yellow Envelope Act, the government is putting effort into persuading the business community.

However, companies are expressing difficulties and pushing back.

Reporter Kim Min-kyung has the story.

[Report]

Subcontracted workers from the shipbuilding company Hanwha Ocean, who have been on a high-altitude sit-in for 97 days demanding better treatment for non-regular workers.

Hyundai Motor and Hyundai Steel recently withdrew their lawsuits for damages against non-regular subcontracted workers, which they had filed due to strikes.

The three key industries most sensitive to the Yellow Envelope Act, which expands the bargaining rights of subcontractors against primary contractors, are steel, shipbuilding, and automobiles, known for their multi-tier subcontracting and outsourcing.

The Vice Minister of Employment and Labor met with representatives from these three industries.

He began by acknowledging the companies' concerns regarding the Yellow Envelope Act.

[Kwon Chang-jun/Vice Minister of Employment and Labor: "The government is also seriously aware of concerns about legal uncertainty and the issues of corporate risk due to the expansion of liability."]

The attending CEOs expressed their understanding of the law's intent but also voiced practical difficulties, according to the companies.

They reportedly stated, "We hope the government will consider the difficulties faced by businesses" and "A balanced labor-management relationship that is not biased to one side is necessary."

There were also demands for detailed guidelines to prevent confusion on-site.

The government is working hard to persuade companies to reduce the confusion expected ahead of the law's introduction this week, but the business community's stance remains firm.

[Hwang Yong-yeon/Head of Labor Policy at Korea Enterprises Federation: "Frequent demands for negotiations and strikes from subcontractor unions will likely cause significant confusion in the industrial field..."]

On the other hand, the labor sector is insisting that the bill should be processed as originally proposed and has announced a large-scale press conference in front of the National Assembly tomorrow (Aug. 22).

This is KBS News, Kim Min-kyung.