Labor minister proposes social dialogue over mega cluster bill

On Tuesday, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon suggested a social dialogue approach to address the contentious aspects of a proposed special bill that would significantly relax labor regulations within mega-scale semiconductor clusters. The government plans to introduce the so-called mega cluster bill by the end of the month, potentially exempting managers and high-income researchers from the 52-hour workweek limit, overtime, night, and holiday work allowances.

The 52-hour workweek law was implemented in 2018 to prevent employee overwork. Moreover, the government is contemplating extending the selection period for the selective working hour system from one month to six months within these special mega clusters. This system permits employees to work intensively during a specific timeframe, provided their total working hours over the selected period do not surpass the limit.

However, the nation's two primary umbrella labor unions have vehemently opposed the government's decision to consider such changes.