Lee Jae-myung Meets with KCTU and FKTU on the 21st
"'Labor equals communist'... We must change this perception"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, met with the two major labor unions to clarify the controversy over the party's 'rightward shift' and conveyed a message that the party continues to maintain interest in the 'labor' agenda.
On the 21st, Lee met with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (hereinafter KCTU) at their meeting room in Jeong-dong, Seoul, and said, "Is our society truly one where labor is respected now?" and added, "Restoring common sense is the biggest task for our society."
Lee stated, "I meet with many employers and ask them whether increasing working hours, withholding wages, and not paying for overtime, night work, and weekend allowances can lead to global competitiveness," and added, "They agree that efficiency does not improve by making people work long hours, and that times have changed."
He continued, "We must adapt to the era of transition, and the perception of labor and workers must change," explaining, "In the past, during the so-called mass production era, work meant that the same people wore the same clothes in the same space and time and quickly completed the same tasks, but now that has changed."
He also emphasized, "There was a time when the word 'labor' made people think of 'red communists,'" and said, "We need to change the perception of the word labor." He added, "There is something I want to do but have not yet accomplished, which is to change Labor Day to International Workers' Day," and said, "If possible, I want to try to do this soon."
Earlier that day, at the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, Lee addressed the recent controversy over the Democratic Party's 'rightward shift,' saying, "There is no need to worry." He explained, "Criticizing the rightward shift for focusing on economic growth is something all previous administrations have done," and added, "We have not forgotten the goals of expanding welfare and creating a just society, but growth cannot be ignored as part of achieving these goals."
He further stated, "From the opposition party's perspective, since our economy has deteriorated, they cannot help but be interested in growth," and added, "When I said 'centrist conservative,' some asked if I had abandoned all progressive policies. It is about placing more emphasis on one side depending on the situation and conditions, not about the concept disappearing."
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