In the next year's minimum wage deliberation, the labor system submitted 10,000 won, which is 16.4% higher than this year, and 8410 won, which is 2.1% lower in management, as the first request.

The Minimum Wage Committee held a full-scale deliberation on the minimum wage amount for next year by holding a 4th power meeting at the Seoul Government Complex on the 1st.

Here, both sides of the labor and management have made initial requests for the minimum wage for next year.

The minimum wage deliberation is conducted by closing the gap in the initial demands of labor and management.

Workers' committees presented 10,000 won, 16.4% higher than the minimum wage (8,590 won) this year, in a single unit of both unions.

Workers' committees said they made an impression based on the findings of unmarried single workers and the cost of living for single households.

They also considered that the effect of raising the minimum wage was reduced by expanding the scope of the minimum wage.

Due to the revision of the Minimum Wages Act in 2018, regular bonuses and welfare expenses that fall within the minimum wage range are gradually expanded, and the total amount will be included in the scope of income in 2024.

When the minimum wage range is expanded, the employer will be able to avoid the minimum wage violation without raising the actual wage.

User commissioners submitted KRW 8,410, which is 2.1% less than the minimum wage this year, as the first request.

On the basis of the proposed cuts, employers discussed the possibility of negative growth in the Korean economy following the Coronavirus Infectious Disease-19 (Corona19) situation, an excessive increase in the minimum wage over the past three years, and deterioration in management conditions for SMEs and small businesses.

They pointed out that the rapid increase in the minimum wage for the current government has led to an increase in the number of workers in the shortest hours.

In the deliberation of the minimum wage last year, the user commissioners proposed a 4.2% reduction plan as the first request.

(Photo = Yonhap News)