Greater than 200 staff employed at Cheong Wa Dae, the previous presidential office-turned-public attraction, are going through job insecurity as their contracts method expiration following the positioning’s closure to guests.
The employees, accountable for cleansing, landscaping, safety and visitor companies, have been employed after the presidential workplace relocated to Yongsan District throughout the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and Cheong Wa Dae was opened to the general public.
Cheong Wa Dae welcomed 8.52 million guests over the previous three years. Nonetheless, operations have been halted in August after the presidential workplace introduced its return to the compound on June 10.
Since then, staff have remained at dwelling on unpaid standby, in line with the Cheong Wa Dae Basis, which manages the positioning underneath the Ministry of Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism.
The muse subcontracted operations to seven service suppliers final 12 months, using a complete of 225 staff, together with 36 cleaners, 31 facility workers, 60 safety guards, 64 guides, 13 landscapers, 13 name middle staff and eight public relations officers.
Whereas the Moon Jae-in administration pushed for the regularization of public sector workers in 2018, many workers employed underneath the present administration stay not directly employed.
With present contracts set to run out subsequent month and solely labor-related bills allotted in subsequent 12 months’s basis funds, some analysts imagine the Cheong Wa Dae Basis itself could also be dismantled.
Staff say they’ve already been informed reemployment is not going to be doable if the presidential workplace relocates again to Cheong Wa Dae.
Staff from Cheong Wa Dae underneath the Korean Public Service and Transport Staff’ Union (KPTU) maintain a press convention outdoors the presidential workplace in Yongsan, Seoul, Monday, calling for job safety. Courtesy of the KPTU Seoul Native Public Service Department
At a press convention in entrance of the presidential workplace in Yongsan on Monday, members of the Korean Public Service and Transport Staff’ Union underneath the Korean Confederation of Commerce Unions demanded job ensures.
Cleaner Im Dong-yong stated, “We managed viewing routes, cleared drains, eliminated weeds and fallen leaves, sorted waste, and dealt with water provides and cleansing gear — we took care of each nook of Cheong Wa Dae. The considered dropping this job just because the presidential workplace is transferring again retains me up at evening.”
Information Jeong San-ho added, “We served guests with satisfaction, whilst subcontracted staff. If the livelihoods of those that maintained this area are forgotten, can Cheong Wa Dae even be correctly restored? We urge the presidential workplace to handle this responsibly.”
The employees say their roles — cleansing, safety, landscaping, guiding — are important and ongoing, and are calling for job safety, a transparent employment plan for any future operations at Cheong Wa Dae, and inclusion in discussions on reforms to customer operations.
In addition they argue that the present oblique employment system goes in opposition to the intent of the revised Labor Union Act, which expands bargaining rights for subcontracted staff.
The presidential workplace has not issued a response to the employees’ calls for.
This text from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Occasions, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Occasions.
