Seoul City Improves Working Conditions for Environmental Officers Affiliated with Cleaning Service Companies

Support of 620 Million KRW for Holiday Encouragement Gifts and Summer Resorts

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] On the 21st, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will improve the treatment of cleaning agency environmental officers, whose working hours, intensity, and wages are relatively poor compared to environmental officers belonging to autonomous districts.

The main points are ▲reflecting the cost of holiday encouragement gifts and summer resort expenses in the cost when contracting cleaning agencies, ▲improving rest facilities for comfortable and safe breaks, ▲and modernizing cleaning equipment to prevent safety accidents during work.

First, with a budget of 620 million KRW, gift certificates worth 50,000 KRW per person will be provided during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays. During summer vacations, 75,000 KRW per person will be supported for resort usage fees. The city explained that since it cannot provide direct financial support to environmental officers belonging to agency companies, it plans to support them by additionally reflecting welfare costs in the cost when autonomous districts contract with the agencies.

In addition, Seoul will secure locations for restrooms where directly managed and agency environmental officers can rest safely and comfortably by receiving applications from autonomous districts. The city plans to select optimal locations considering cleaning areas and routes, secure spaces of appropriate size (at least 1.5㎡ per person), and enable environmental officers to rest while having access to shower and laundry facilities.

To prevent various safety accidents that may occur during cleaning work, the city plans to enhance safety by modernizing equipment, including distributing 155 eco-friendly cleaning devices (such as electric carts), and support safety education operating expenses to prevent accidents.

Lee In-geun, Head of the Seoul Climate and Environment Headquarters, said, “Environmental officers of agency companies have relatively poor treatment compared to those belonging to autonomous districts,” and added, “We hope that this project to support holiday encouragement and summer resort expenses in the cost of cleaning agency contracts will help improve the treatment of agency environmental officers even a little.”