Suwon's 2021 Living Wage Set at 10,150 Won Per Hour, Same as This Year

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon's 'living wage' for 2021 has been set at 10,150 won per hour.

The Suwon Labor-Management-Government Council recently held the 'Second Regular Labor-Management-Government Council Meeting of 2020' in writing, and determined next year's living wage at 10,150 won per hour—the same as this year—in consideration of the city's financial situation. Converted to a monthly salary, this amounts to 2,121,350 won (based on 209 working hours per month).

City officials explained that this represents 116.4% of the minimum wage (8,720 won).

The 'living wage' introduced by the city in 2014 goes one step beyond the minimum wage, representing a wage level that allows people to maintain a 'dignified life.' The living wage applies to approximately 700 non-regular and fixed-term workers employed by Suwon City, Suwon City-invested institutions, and commissioned agencies.

Meanwhile, Yum Tae-young, Suwon Mayor and Chair of the Suwon Labor-Management-Government Council; Go Gwang-hoon, Director of the Gyeonggi Regional Office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor; Jo Seok-hwan, Speaker of the Suwon City Council; Kim Jang-il, Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Suwon Regional Branch; and Hong Ji-ho, President of the Suwon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, signed the 'Suwon Labor-Management-Government Joint Declaration.'

In the joint declaration, the Labor-Management-Government Council resolved to ▲develop measures to revitalize local currency and activate the regional economy ▲recognize job retention as the top priority and establish extraordinary countermeasures for this ▲strengthen education such as vocational training to develop local talent and enhance capabilities of vulnerable workers ▲make efforts to create sustainable jobs based on continuous consultation and agreements with local enterprises.

The Suwon Labor-Management-Government Council is pursuing various labor-management-government cooperation activation projects this year with the goal of 'Suwon Labor-Management-Government 10 Years! Creation of a New Labor and Employment Governance and a Leap Forward!'

First, the council is producing the 'White Paper on 10 Years of Suwon Labor-Management-Government History,' which documents 10 years of activities since its founding in 2010.

Additionally, to investigate the working conditions of vulnerable workers in small-scale businesses and reflect them in Suwon's labor policy, the council is implementing the 'Workers' Rights Remediation Project for Small Businesses with Fewer Than 5 Employees,' receiving full funding from Gyeonggi Province.

Yum Tae-young, Chair of the Suwon Labor-Management-Government Council, stated, "Many citizens are facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic," and urged, "Let Suwon's labor-management-government and citizens join forces to wisely overcome the crisis and strengthen the foundation of the regional economy."