Time to address shortcomings of shorter workweek
The Moon Jae-in administration faces growing calls for additional measures to ensure the smooth implementation of the new, shorter workweek system.
It is fortunate that Strategy and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon has committed to work out concrete steps to allow specific sectors and businesses to let their employees work longer hours if it is necessary for their survival. Kim, President Moon's economic czar, cited the ICT industry as a potential beneficiary of the relaxed rule.
Under a revised law that will take effect Monday, companies with 300 or more workers must reduce the maximum working hours to 52 hours a week from the current 68. Major business lobbies have called for putting off the implementation of the shorter workweek, citing insufficient preparations for the shift. In response, the government granted a six-month grace period in punishing violators.
We welcome the government's move to devise various measures to make up for the shortcomings of the shorter workweek. However, ICT should not be the only sector to benefit from a longer working week. The chemical, construction and shipbuilding industries also need more extended working hours when they enter into regular overhauls or need to meet deadlines for urgent overseas orders. Officials should specify reasons and conditions for allowing exceptions to help these businesses.
It is regrettable in this regard that the Ministry of Employment and Labor is dragging its feet, saying it needs more time to avoid the ill-effects of the new system. The near-disastrous employment situation now seldom allows for such procrastination.
The ministry should face up to the reality, in which the hasty shortening of working hours could determine the life and death of not just a few firms. Unions also ought to refrain from opposing the old system for opposition's sake given the dire economic conditions.
The Moon administration is paying greater attention to bread-and-butter issues in its second year. How to complement the shorter workweek will be the litmus test of the government's efforts to speed up economic recovery. It should waste no more time rectifying the problems arising from the shortened workweek, and addressing policy confusion _ the sooner, the better.
The Moon Jae-in administration faces growing calls for additional measures to ensure the smooth implementation of the new, shorter workweek system.
It is fortunate that Strategy and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon has committed to work out concrete steps to allow specific sectors and businesses to let their employees work longer hours if it is necessary for their survival. Kim, President Moon's economic czar, cited the ICT industry as a potential beneficiary of the relaxed rule.
Under a revised law that will take effect Monday, companies with 300 or more workers must reduce the maximum working hours to 52 hours a week from the current 68. Major business lobbies have called for putting off the implementation of the shorter workweek, citing insufficient preparations for the shift. In response, the government granted a six-month grace period in punishing violators.
We welcome the government's move to devise various measures to make up for the shortcomings of the shorter workweek. However, ICT should not be the only sector to benefit from a longer working week. The chemical, construction and shipbuilding industries also need more extended working hours when they enter into regular overhauls or need to meet deadlines for urgent overseas orders. Officials should specify reasons and conditions for allowing exceptions to help these businesses.
It is regrettable in this regard that the Ministry of Employment and Labor is dragging its feet, saying it needs more time to avoid the ill-effects of the new system. The near-disastrous employment situation now seldom allows for such procrastination.
The ministry should face up to the reality, in which the hasty shortening of working hours could determine the life and death of not just a few firms. Unions also ought to refrain from opposing the old system for opposition's sake given the dire economic conditions.
The Moon administration is paying greater attention to bread-and-butter issues in its second year. How to complement the shorter workweek will be the litmus test of the government's efforts to speed up economic recovery. It should waste no more time rectifying the problems arising from the shortened workweek, and addressing policy confusion _ the sooner, the better.
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