An overwhelming majority of unionized public workers voted against a government move to scale back the pension program for its employees.
“Of the 445,208 people who participated in the vote on the reform bill, 98.64 percent opposed it,” a task force composed of some 50 organizations of public officials said during a press conference held in front of the headquarters of the ruling Saenuri Party.
Led by the Confederation of Korean Government Employees’ Unions, a legitimate union of public workers, and the Korean Government Employees’ Union, an outsider union, the vote took place from Nov. 5-10. Police officers, firefighters and tax officials were excluded from the vote, the task force added.
On Oct. 28, the party revealed a draft bill that will start requiring its workers to pay more into the public pension system and receive less pension in 2016 without collecting opinions from civil servants.
The bill is part of a government plan to undercut its growing pension deficit, which is forecast to reach 484 trillion won ($458 billion) if left unaddressed.
Government workers, however, have rejected the proposal, saying they have tolerated low pay for the promise of high returns after retirement.
The group urged the ruling party and the government to scrap the “unilateral” pension reform bill and organize a pan-national body to properly address problems with the current system.
It threatened to launch a protest campaign against the reform bill, including a strike, if the government presses ahead with the plan. (Yonhap)
