The rise in the number of people taking on additional work is closely linked to the growth of digital platform-mediated jobs, such as delivery and courier services. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 20 (Korea Bizwire) – A civic group comprising gig workers said Thursday it will seek to file a constitutional petition against the decision to omit platform workers, such as delivery riders or freelancers, from next year’s minimum wage system.
The civic group, dubbed “finding hope for platform labor,” said it will file the petition over the minimum wage commission’s failure to guarantee the minimum wage as the right of gig workers.
Platform workers refer to individuals who provide specific services to customers through the medium of online platforms, such as smartphone applications, including ride-hailing service workers or delivery riders.
Last week, the tripartite commission of labor, management and the public in charge of determining next year’s minimum wage decided not to set the minimum wage for gig workers.
The civic group accused the commission of unloading the burden onto the labor circle to come up with documents needed to discuss applying the minimum wage to gig workers, calling its actions an “irresponsible pledge.”
“Article 32 of the Constitution stipulates that all citizens have the right to work and the state shall enforce a minimum wage system as prescribed by law,” a lawyer representing the group said. “But the state failed to enact a minimum wage system that applies to all workers, including gig workers.”
The civic group aims to collect 10,000 complainants to file the petition.
(Yonhap)
