Nowon-gu Expands Support for Various Vulnerable Worker Groups

Support for Damage Relief through Labor Law Assistance and Labor Consultation, Including Human Rights Education and Cultural Welfare Support
New Education Program for Apartment Building Representatives Reflecting Characteristics of Areas with Many Apartments
Thorough Youth Labor Education Covering Vulnerable Jobs Such as Cleaning, Delivery, and Security On-Site

Nowon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will operate the 'Nowon Labor Welfare Center' to protect the human rights of workers in vulnerable working environments and promote various support projects.

This is to help vulnerable workers who have no place to voice their grievances even when they suffer unfair treatment at the workplace.

The 'Nowon Labor Welfare Center,' located on the basement first floor of Madeul Station on Subway Line 7, has been building a social safety net to guarantee labor rights, especially for people with disabilities, the elderly, and basic livelihood security recipients, in a society where 'gapjil' (power harassment) has become normalized since 2012.

The projects promoted by the Nowon Labor Welfare Center include ▲ customized free labor consultations for demanders ▲ support for rights protection of victims of wage arrears and power harassment ▲ support for organizing vulnerable and essential workers ▲ education for workers and small business owners (labor law, taxation) ▲ customized labor rights education by demand group and other cultural welfare programs for workers.

The most popular core project is labor consultation and related labor law support for vulnerable workers. Free consultations by certified labor attorneys are held from Monday to Friday, with about 1,000 cases annually. For simple matters, Q&A is also available through online consultations on the center’s website. If vulnerable workers who have suffered unfair treatment at the workplace wish, legal support is also provided.

Support is also provided for organizing vulnerable and essential workers. The center continues to promote network activation projects that help workers scattered across workplaces or individually form self-help groups and find their rights through communication.

Education on law and taxation for workers and small business owners is also underway to prevent conflicts between parties of similar status, a project recognized as capturing changes in the labor environment.

As the center has operated for over 10 years, it has also been discovering projects that reflect changes in the labor environment and regional characteristics.

Taking into account that Nowon-gu is a densely populated apartment area, this year, labor rights education will be conducted four times annually for ‘apartment building representatives.’ The goal is to understand the difficulties of workers such as security guards and cleaning workers, who are neighbors closely connected to residents’ daily lives but face unstable working conditions, and to prevent rights violations that may occur on site.

The ‘Youth Labor Rights Education’ conducted for employment preparation classes at local specialized high schools has achieved expansion since last year to include all classes in specialized high schools, employment preparation classes in general high schools, and even middle schools.

Furthermore, the district plans to offer numerous quality humanities lectures and healing programs together with worker residents, focusing on improving workers’ quality of life through various means beyond damage relief and education.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “We aim to create a community where labor is respected even amid worsening labor conditions and harsh social circumstances,” adding, “In the new year of Gapjin, we will spare no support to ensure that workers’ valuable labor is properly recognized and protected.”