The Economic, Social and Labor Council Launches First 'Sectoral Committees' for Women, Youth, and Non-Regular Workers

Joint Launch Ceremony Held on the 4th... Representing Understanding of Labor Vulnerable Groups
Policy Proposals for Vulnerable Populations Leading to Legal and Institutional Improvements
"Social Dialogue Expands Horizons to Various Vulnerable Groups"

Economic, Social and Labor Council

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The 'Tiered Committees' representing women, youth, and non-regular workers were launched on the 4th under the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC), a social dialogue body directly under the president. This provides a channel for vulnerable workers to officially voice their opinions in social dialogue. It is the first achievement since the ESLC was established one year and eight months ago.

On the morning of the same day, the ESLC held a joint launching ceremony for the tiered committees for women, youth, and non-regular workers at the ESLC main conference room in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Kim Ji-hee, head of the Seoul Eastern Workplace Moms Support Center, was appointed chairperson of the Women’s Committee; Jeong Bo-young, policy team leader of Youth Union, was appointed chairperson of the Youth Committee; and Moon Hyun-gun, chairperson of the National Labor Equality Union, was appointed chairperson of the Non-regular Workers Committee.

This is the first time since the ESLC’s launch in November 2018 that tiered committees have been formed. An ESLC official said, "We have established a system to understand and represent labor’s vulnerable groups," adding, "It will serve as a stepping stone to amplify the voices of vulnerable workers in social dialogue."

The core functions of the tiered committees are agenda development and policy recommendations. Members of the women, youth, and non-regular workers committees directly identify labor issues and seek solutions. While existing committees organized by industry or agenda narrow differences on conflicting issues among labor, management, and government, the tiered committees are led by the stakeholders themselves to propose policies for vulnerable groups.

Each tiered committee consists of a chairperson, 5 to 6 members, and expert members. The term of office for tiered committee members is one year, the same as for agenda-based and industry-based committees. The results of discussions in each committee are submitted as agenda items to the ESLC plenary for processing, or if in-depth discussion is needed, dialogue can continue through the establishment of separate industry- or agenda-based committees. This is expected to lay the groundwork for improvements in related laws and systems.

Munsung Hyun, Chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Council / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Kim Ji-hee, chairperson of the Women’s Committee, said, "The instability of women’s labor has deepened recently due to the impact of COVID-19," adding, "The Women’s Committee will publicize the dark realities of women’s labor, symbolized by discrimination and career interruptions, while seeking effective alternatives."

Jeong Bo-young, chairperson of the Youth Committee, said, "Youth issues are questions about the sustainability of our society," and added, "We will bring various problems that darken the future of youth?such as narrow employment opportunities, disparities in the labor market, and soaring housing prices?into the social dialogue arena and seek reasonable solutions."

Moon Hyun-gun, chairperson of the Non-regular Workers Committee, said, "I am pleased that a platform for voicing opinions for socially vulnerable groups has opened," emphasizing, "The Non-regular Workers Committee will strive to improve labor conditions and resolve employment instability for workers excluded from the public sector’s regularization process, including private consignment workers, small business workers, special employment workers, and platform workers."

Moon Sung-hyun, chairperson of the ESLC, said, "Today’s joint launching ceremony marks the first step in expanding the horizon of social dialogue in Korea to various vulnerable groups," adding, "The launch of the tiered committees will be a distinctive strength of the ESLC, overcoming the limitations of the tripartite committee, which was centered on nationwide labor and management organizations."

These committees plan to hold their first plenary meeting in August to review priority discussion agendas.

The Women’s Committee will discuss ▲measures to close the gender wage gap ▲prohibition of gender discrimination in recruitment ▲eradication of sexual harassment and sexual violence in the workplace ▲protection of maternity and parental rights for all workers. The Youth Committee will address ▲COVID-19 and youth employment issues ▲eradication of exploitative youth labor such as probation, internships, training, and assistant roles ▲improvement of gender, educational background, and regional recruitment discrimination ▲solutions to youth debt ▲reduction of disparities in the labor market. The Non-regular Workers Committee will explore ▲protection measures for labor providers with unclear employers ▲protection of non-regular workers in private consignment workplaces ▲support for organizing unorganized workers.