Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash Over '52-Hour Workweek'... IT and Game Unions Oppose Labor Regulation Easing

Labor and Management Present Joint Wage and Collective Bargaining Demands for the First Time

The labor unions in the IT and gaming industries have clearly expressed their opposition to the 'exceptional application of the 52-hour workweek' currently being discussed in the political arena.

On the morning of the 12th, Oh Se-yoon, Chair of the IT Committee of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Chemical, Textile, and Food Industry Union and head of the Naver branch, held a press conference at Sangyeonjae in Jung-gu, Seoul, stating, "Relaxing labor hour regulations does not lead to the development of the IT and gaming industries but rather exhausts workers like disposable items," adding, "This not only harms workers' health but also weakens the human foundation across the industry, hindering long-term development."

He continued, "The solution is not to grind down workers but to create an environment where healthy workers can be more engaged and focused," emphasizing, "Regarding this matter, the opinions of workers actually working in the industry should be carefully listened to."

Representatives of the IT Committee of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Chemical, Textile, and Food Industry Union, composed of labor unions from the IT and gaming industries, held a press conference on the morning of the 12th at Sangyeonjae in Jung-gu, Seoul, announcing joint demands related to labor-management wage and collective bargaining.

On this day, the IT Committee also presented a joint demand proposal related to ongoing labor-management wage and collective bargaining negotiations at various companies for the first time. The union's joint demands included ▲establishing a committee to prevent workplace harassment ▲disclosing evaluation criteria to ensure fairness and transparency in personnel evaluations ▲improving procedures for reassignment due to business reasons ▲protecting workers' rights in cases of spin-offs, acquisitions, and mergers.

Chair Oh stated, "Since the current law designates the employer as the sole party responsible for investigating and judging workplace harassment cases, the committee should be composed equally of labor and management representatives," and added, "In the IT industry, restructuring often occurs through reassignment due to project reorganization or spin-offs, so workers must be guaranteed to perform the work they are best suited for on a stable foundation."

Regarding concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) replacing jobs, a key issue in the IT and gaming industries, he expressed a positive view, saying, "AI is seen not as a replacement for humans but as a means for existing workers to achieve better work efficiency," and "Developing high-quality AI services can actually create more employment."

The Chemical, Textile, and Food Industry Union's IT Committee includes labor unions from IT and gaming companies such as Naver, starting in 2018, Nexon, Netmarble, Baedal Minjok, Smilegate, and NCSoft. According to the union, the total number of members reaches approximately 20,000.