Gyeonggi-do's 'Public Institution Labor Director System' Half Success

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province's 'Public Institution Labor Director System,' introduced last year to promote labor-management cooperation, has not been properly established.

Although promotional efforts for the system were insufficient and recent legal and institutional adjustments have been somewhat completed, it remains uncertain whether it can be properly applied in the field.

The Labor Director System is a system where worker representatives serve as labor directors, exercising voting rights on the board of directors and directly participating in the management of public institutions. Previously, Gyeonggi Province introduced the Labor Director System to public institutions in May last year.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 18th, starting with the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation in May last year, the system was introduced in a total of 16 institutions, including 12 mandatory institutions and 4 discretionary institutions. This accounts for 60% of all provincial subordinate institutions (27 in total). Notably, the Labor Director System is a campaign pledge of Governor Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province.

However, after one year of implementation, the Labor Director System has not been properly established in the field.

A labor director at a public institution said, "When I requested management data from the company, they refused to provide the data, saying that as a non-standing director, it is customary not to provide information, which was frustrating."

In fact, according to a 'Public Institution Labor Director Survey' conducted last month by the Gyeonggi Province Public Institution Labor Directors Council targeting 33 labor directors nationwide (13 from Gyeonggi Province), 94% of labor directors responded that they have experienced difficulties due to a lack of understanding of the Labor Director System.

B labor director at a public institution said, "Although elected as a labor director, there is no guaranteed separate space, time, or budget for work promotion," adding, "When I have to go on business trips to understand the working conditions of local employees, I have to use personal leave and pay expenses out of pocket."

A provincial official explained, "With the passage of the 'Ordinance Amendment on the Operation of the Labor Director System' by the Provincial Council last month, labor directors can now request access to information, and regulations for activity expenses have been established, so we expect activities to become more active."

It is positive that the Public Institution Labor Director System is expanding its scope to 31 cities and counties within the province.

Bucheon City introduced the Labor Director System to three institutions?the Bucheon Urban Corporation, Bucheon Cultural Foundation, and Bucheon Women and Youth Foundation?in July last year, becoming the first basic local government nationwide to do so.

Icheon City also announced plans to introduce the 'Public Institution Labor Director System' by the end of this year. Icheon plans to implement the system in two institutions with more than 50 workers: the Icheon City Facilities Management Corporation (65 employees) and the Icheon City Youth Development Foundation (77 employees).