[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] A labor–management dispute has erupted at Yonhap News Agency over the implementation of a new personnel evaluation system.

The Yonhap branch of the National Union of Media Workers criticized management for repeatedly introducing the system without sufficiently reflecting employees’ concerns about potential side effects, calling it a “unilateral push without communication.”

In a statement released on March 9 titled “Another Unilateral Push for the Personnel Evaluation System… What’s Coming Is an Evaluation of Management,” the union said management had begun implementing the system again despite the union’s repeated objections throughout last year.

The union noted that this marks the third attempt to introduce the system, following implementations in the first and second halves of last year. It also claimed that no explanatory session or formal briefing was held this time.

According to the union, the company’s president had previously pledged not to apply the evaluation system to personnel decisions during his term, yet management has continued to implement the system without clearly explaining the reasons.

The union said it does not oppose the introduction of an evaluation system itself, but insisted that fair and reasonable criteria must first be established with employees, adding that existing problems of unfairness and irrational practices should be addressed before introducing a new system.

Management, however, maintains that it has already held multiple briefings for employees and revised and supplemented the system through a companywide survey.

Some employees within Yonhap also said that while a personnel evaluation system may be necessary, the new system could be considered a change to employment rules, meaning it should require approval from a majority of employees. Concerns were also raised that the evaluation results could undermine the current seniority-based wage system if used improperly.

 

 

 

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