Labor and management are renewing their war over the proposed 40-hour workweek. The Korean Employers Federation and corporations are demanding the proposed reduction of the workweek by four hours be delayed until 2005. But the Korean Employers Federation is mistaken in several points in making the case against the 40-hour workweek.
First, its claim is unwarranted that it is too early to reduce the workweek. As a matter of fact, it is long overdue, given the international labor trend that started in this regard in the 1930s. In addition, Korea is the only nation with the 44-hour, six-day workweek among the members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Korean workers have 2,447 yearly working hours on average, the longest among the OECD members.
Another problem lies in the demand that "global standards and international practice" be referred to in reducing the number of holidays. But there is no accepted set of standards or practices. The government is already considering moving Children"s Day, Arbor Day, and some other national holidays to Saturdays.
How many years do corporations need to prepare for the five-day workweek? No delay must be permitted in introducing the new workweek.

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