Daily News

View All News

Korea – Thousands of temporary workers strike, demanding permanent jobs

21 November 2014

Approximately 20,000 non-regular school workers launched a two-day strike yesterday citing unfair employment practices and demanding to be hired as full-time staff, reports The Korea Herald

The workers, who make up about 30% of the three major unions for contract school workers nationwide, are also calling for paid lunch breaks and paid holidays. The workers added that the two-day protest could expand to a general strike if negotiations fail.

According to the Education Ministry, between 60% and 70% of the workers are involved in the preparation of school meals, with the others employed as cleaning staff or contract English teachers.

While non-regular workers in schools are required to pay for their own lunch, and are not paid during school closures, permanent staff have a separate allowance each month for lunch, and receive a full wage during vacation, according to the Korean School Temporary Workers’ Union.

A union leader said: “Contract workers in schools are paid KRW 1.4 million (USD 1,256) on average a month and are required to pay for their own lunch. In contrast, a regular worker has a KRW 130,000 (USD 117) lunch allowance each month and receives full wages during vacation.”

The Education Ministry and provincial authorities are in negotiations with the labour group, but are unlikely to accommodate all their demands as they claim to have insufficient funds to address their needs.

Other labour unions; as well as organisations comprised of parents, teachers, and university students, have expressed their willingness to support the move by contract workers.