`Abrogation of Monthly Leave of Absence-the Maximum Annual Paid Vacation up to 20 Days`

The Tripartite Commission decided to have a top-level meeting on Oct. 17 attended by Yu Yong-Tae, Minister Labor Affairs, Kim Chang-Sung, Chair of Korea Employer`s Federation, Lee Nam-Soon, leader of Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and so on, and to finalize the negotiation related to the five-day workweek system.

An official of Ministry of Labor Affairs said on Oct. 16, ``With regard to core controversies over issues, including monthly leave of absence and annual paid vacation, labor and management have nearly reached an agreement.`` and added, ``The top-level meeting is expected to make a significant accomplishment.``

According to Ministry of Labor Affairs, labor and management are reaching a conclusion, concerning monthly-yearly paid vacation, that while abrogating monthly leave of absence, an employee working over 6 months is to be given 10 day paid vacation, and after that one vacation day per working year is to be accumulated till the maximum of 20 days. And an employee working less than 6 months will be given 1.5-day vacation per month.

The original proposal made by the public interest committee was to allow 18-day vacation to those working more than a year, and to add one day per each 3 working years up to the maximum of 22 days. The revised proposal reflects partly the opinion from the management that the maximum line should be shorter than the public interest committee`s proposal to 2000 working hours per year, and also intends to offer a monthly-yearly vacation even to irregular employees.

The proposal is expected to become effective from next July at finance and insurance industry and large-sized companies holding more than 1,000 employees, at companies of 300 and above employees (July, 2003), of 50 or above (January, 2005), of 10 or above (January, 2007), of less than 10 (January, 2010).

But the FKTU said, ``Nothing has been agreed on with regard to a measure of covering the loss of wage caused by the induction of maximum line of monthly-yearly vacation and the issue of overtime pay.`` and continued, ``There is no possibility for the top-level meeting to reach an agreement.``

A personnel at FKTU said, ``If the maximum line of monthly-yearly paid vacation is determined 20 days, the question as to how to cover the wage of a long-term employee working over 20 years.`` and added, ``the prescriptions governing the issue of covering the wage caused by abrogation of monthly paid vacation or unpaid menstrual leave should be clearly stated in the law.``

Jung Young-Gwan yongari@donga.com