"Opposition to Direct Employment at Customer Service and Establishment of Affiliated Institutions"... Rekindling of Internal Conflict at National Health Insurance Service

Ahead of the Confirmation of Separate Agency Establishment on the 21st, MZ Generation Pushback

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jung] The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), which is embroiled in a 'labor-labor (노노) conflict' over the direct employment of customer center (call center) staff, is actively considering creating a separate agency under the NHIS. Meanwhile, a post opposing direct employment and the establishment of an affiliated agency has been posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. The Fair Value Solidarity, composed of young NHIS employees including new hires, has expressed opposition to direct employment and the establishment of an affiliated agency, drawing attention as a potential variable.

On the 20th, the petitioner posted a message titled "Opposing Direct Employment of Call Center Staff and Establishment of an Affiliated Agency" on the Blue House National Petition Board, stating, "The direct employment of NHIS customer center staff and the establishment of an affiliated agency violate social fairness."

He said, "When the President took office, he presented the slogan 'Equal opportunity, fair process, and just outcome,' giving the public hope that society would be one where people could achieve their goals through effort," adding, "However, in terms of jobs, many job seekers who are striving to participate in fair competition have been disheartened and hurt by several indiscriminate conversions to regular positions." The petitioner warned, "If, in this social atmosphere, many more people are indiscriminately converted to regular public institution employees, many citizens will be angered and hurt."

He also argued that since the NHIS is a public institution that does not generate profits, the damage caused by direct employment of customer center staff and the establishment of an affiliated agency would fall on the public. The petitioner said, "The damage from the direct employment and establishment of an affiliated agency for the NHIS customer center is solely borne by the public, as the NHIS is not a profit-generating institution but operates solely on taxes and insurance premiums," adding, "The large-scale conversion to regular positions requires significant financial resources, and this burden must be borne by the public." He further pointed out, "As seen in other institutions, large-scale conversion to regular positions leads to a reduction in new hires, which deprives many people preparing to enter the NHIS of opportunities, making the public the victims."

The petitioner also pointed out that the direct employment and establishment of an affiliated agency for the customer center do not align with the government's logic for 'regularization of non-regular workers.' He said, "NHIS customer center employees are regular employees of outsourcing companies," adding, "Since they are not non-regular workers in the first place, this contradicts the legitimacy of the government's guidelines, and the direct employment and establishment of an affiliated agency for the customer center is an incomprehensible act of converting regular employees of private companies into regular employees of a public institution."

However, the petitioner expressed the view that improvements in the poor working conditions and treatment claimed by the customer center are necessary. He concluded, "I believe improvements are needed regarding the poor working conditions and treatment claimed by the NHIS customer center, but the solution is clearly not direct employment by the NHIS or the establishment of an affiliated agency," adding, "Considering public sentiment and social fairness, I ask that indiscriminate direct employment and establishment of affiliated agencies in public institutions be prevented."

Meanwhile, the 'Office Discussion Council,' which has been discussing the direct employment of about 1,600 NHIS customer center employees, recently settled on establishing a separate 'affiliated agency' instead of a subsidiary, and is scheduled to hold its final meeting on the 21st to finalize and announce this policy.