Work loss days due to strikes have exceeded last year's total within just three quarters of this year. This increase is attributed to labor disputes arising from wage and collective bargaining negotiations at some large workplaces, influenced by the enactment of the Yellow Envelope Law.
According to data submitted to Kim Wi-sang, a member of the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee, by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the cumulative work loss days reached 489,190 by the end of September. This figure surpasses last year's total of 394,000 by 95,190 days, marking a 24% increase in work loss days over the past nine months compared to the previous year.
Work loss days are a measure of losses incurred from work stoppages, such as strikes, converted into workdays. This is calculated by multiplying the number of participants in a strike by the duration of the strike and dividing by the standard eight-hour workday.
Recent trends had shown a general decline in work loss days. In 2016, the figure peaked at 2,035,000 days but dropped significantly to 862,000 the following year. The numbers continued to decrease to 472,000 in 2021, 344,000 in 2022, and 355,000 in 2023. Although there was a rebound to 457,000 days in 2024, last year saw a reduction back to 394,000 days.
This year's cumulative total has already surpassed the annual record set in 2021. If large-scale strikes continue in the fourth quarter, the annual work loss days could significantly exceed levels seen in recent years.
The increase in work loss days is largely attributed to the Yellow Envelope Law, which took effect on March 10. This law recognizes the employer status of primary contractors who can effectively control or determine working conditions and expands the scope of labor conditions subject to labor disputes.
Prior to the implementation of the Yellow Envelope Law, the government prepared interpretive guidelines regarding employer status and the scope of labor disputes, aiming to institutionalize dialogue between primary and subcontractors and prevent conflicts.
However, it is difficult to definitively attribute the rise in work loss days directly to the new law. The Ministry of Labor has indicated that the recent increase is primarily due to typical labor disputes occurring during collective bargaining at some large workplaces.
Work loss days can fluctuate significantly based on the number of participants in strikes and the duration of those strikes, meaning that prolonged strikes at a few large companies can lead to a rapid increase in work loss days. Therefore, an increase in work loss days does not necessarily indicate a broader expansion of labor disputes across all workplaces.
Kim Wi-sang stated, "The current government's dual approach of merely paying lip service to labor respect is fueling conflicts on the ground. They must halt unilateral actions like relocating public institutions and consolidations and engage in dialogue with workers."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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