The chief of South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) urged the managing boards of financial institutions to enforce merit-based pay system if its employment is further delayed due to protests from unions.
“Board members should act on behalf of shareholders to spearhead reforms in management and organization,” said FSC Chairman Yim Jong-yong on Thursday during his meeting with head of financial institutions.
Bank workers aligned with higher umbrella financial union went on a full-day general strike last month and warned of another collective action in November. The strike did not cause chaos in bank outlets as participation ratio was low.
“The union should ask itself why the participation ratio had been so low,” Yim said.
The government has enforced shift in payroll system in public institutions making them give out salaries based on performance rather than seniority and working years in hopes to make the practice trickle down to the private sector. Railway and financial workers have been protesting to the new guideline citing insecurity in income.
Meanwhile, some opposition members have lodged a motion for a bill requiring the performance-based pay system applied to executive level instead of the entire employees in the financial sector.
By Park Yoon-ye
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]