[2021 National Audit] Nine out of Ten Non-Regular Power Workers Focused on 'Coal Phase-Out' Say "Job Insecurity"

Comprehensive National Audit of the Ministry of Employment by the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee on the 21st

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] As the government rapidly pursues a 'coal phase-out' policy, it has failed to properly prepare restructuring measures in line with industrial reorganization, resulting in nine out of ten workers in the power generation industry saying they "feel employment insecurity."

Kang Eun-mi, a Justice Party member of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee, pointed out on the 21st that the government's job transition policy is lagging behind the pace of industrial restructuring policies.

According to Lee Taeseong, secretary of the Power Generation Non-regular Workers' Representatives Meeting, whom Kang invited as a reference, starting with Seocheon Units 1 and 2 in 2017, a total of eight units including Samcheonpo Units 1 and 2 and Boryeong Units 1 and 2 were shut down this year, resulting in 38 job losses. According to him, a survey conducted in May targeting 3,634 non-regular power generation workers showed that 92.3% responded that they "feel employment insecurity." In contrast, only 4.3% answered that "other jobs are prepared."

Earlier, on the 15th, Kang questioned the reason behind the extreme choice made by a non-regular worker at Korea South-East Power's Samcheonpo Power Headquarters. The reference testified, "The deceased, who worked as a non-regular worker in the electrical maintenance team at Samcheonpo Power Headquarters since 2015, maintained employment through split contract extensions every three months and received wages at the minimum wage level." The deceased's workplace was Korea Power Engineering Company, where the late Kim Yong-gyun died three years ago.

Lee testified, "The promise of regularization was not kept for three years after Kim's death," adding, "The deceased was preparing to transfer to a public enterprise but found it difficult to balance work and study, so it seems he gave up preparing for the transfer and made an extreme choice." He added, "The reality is that workers have to prepare for a transfer while working because of the hope that entering a public enterprise means they can work 'without dying.'"

Employment and Labor Minister Ahn Kyung-duk explained, "The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to shut down 34 coal-fired power units by 2034, including the short-term closure of Samcheonpo Units 1 and 2 and Honam Units 1 and 2 this year. The Ministry of Employment and Labor is identifying difficulties through labor-management meetings with power companies and their partner companies and is preparing support measures with local governments and the Ministry of Industry." He added, "Research groups and forums related to labor transition are being held at the Economic, Social and Labor Council, the Carbon Neutrality Committee, and the Ministry of Industry. Since we believe legislation on labor transition support is necessary, the government will actively support it."