The purpose of this study is to understand limitations and possibilities of organizing independent contractors by focusing on insurance solicitors in South Korea. Among various types of precarious employment, insuranc...The purpose of this study is to understand limitations and possibilities of organizing independent contractors by focusing on insurance solicitors in South Korea. Among various types of precarious employment, insurance solicitors are an exemplar case of independent contractor jobs in Korea. According to the narrow interpretation on the employment relationship by the courts, the labor standard law does not treat insurance solicitors as workers. And, most of insurance solicitors are not affiliated with labor unions. As a result, insurance solicitors are outside labor protections. Under this context, insurance solicitors attempted to organize their own union--Korean Insurance Agents' Union (KIAU) in the early 2000s, and turned it into a branch of Korean Finance and Service Workers' Union (KFSWU) in 2004. However, the KIAU lost its membership rapidly since the mid-2000s and has failed to revitalize itself until now. So, in this study, the author focuses on the changes in the employment structure behind the growth of the insurance industry in the private sector and the reason why union organizing of independent contractors was not successful.展开更多
Founded in 1902 as the Transvaal Miners' Association, the South African Mine Workers' Union (MWU), as it was renamed in 1913, rose to prominence as a militant union for white miners, especially during the turbulen...Founded in 1902 as the Transvaal Miners' Association, the South African Mine Workers' Union (MWU), as it was renamed in 1913, rose to prominence as a militant union for white miners, especially during the turbulent years of industrial strife and bloody strike action in the first two decades of the 20th century. Since the election victory of the Pact government in 1924 a program of pro-white protectionist legislation was introduced. As South Africa's most prominent white trade union of the 20th century, the MWU therefore became renowned for defending job reservation in the mining industry. After 1948, it enjoyed the National Party government's support in this regard. However, skilled labor shortages and changing labor conditions in the 1970s forced the government to introduce labor reform. Job reservation was scrapped and black unions were officially recognized. These initiatives put the MWU on a confrontational path with the government and the union aligned itself with right-wing political resistance and protest. But, the altered political and economic South African realities after 1994 forced the MWU to rethink its strategies. By 2002, it had reinvented and transformed itself into Solidarity, adequately equipped for addressing the labor challenges and demands of a post-apartheid South Africa. This article, based on the author's research of the South African labor movement in the early 20th century, traces the historical development of the union and its influence on South African political and labor history.展开更多
In 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China,China has successfully transitioned from a closed economy to an open economy with the watershed year of reform and opening up in 1978 and modernized it...In 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China,China has successfully transitioned from a closed economy to an open economy with the watershed year of reform and opening up in 1978 and modernized its social security system accordingly.This paper divides the transition of China’s social security system into seven stages before and after 1978.The traditional social security system was predicated on the dominant public ownership,a highly centralized economy,and“full employment.”It was congruous with the ownership structure,income distribution,and labor systems under the closed economy.The modern social security system is developed to meet the needs of an open economy and promotes economic development by giving play to consumption and investment,facilitating labor flow,and boosting productivity.The modern social security system requires further supply-side structural reforms to promote the high-quality development of the open economy.展开更多
In 2003, China initiated the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) in order to provide basic health care coverage for the rural population. However, the NRCMS has had a marked impact on rural-urban labor mig...In 2003, China initiated the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) in order to provide basic health care coverage for the rural population. However, the NRCMS has had a marked impact on rural-urban labor migration as its current regulations present a barrier for cross-region participation in the NRCMS, and its reimbursement system is biased when the enrollees seek medical services outside their location of hukou, a household registration system in China. This paper performs a variety of empirical tests on a panel data set from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) to study how the NRCMS affects rural residents' work location choices. We observed a "locking effect" on potential rural migrant workers and a "pulling effect" on existing ones. According to the results, the NRCMS has discouraged rural residents from working outside their location of hukou, lowering the probability of relocation by 3.52 percent. Meanwhile, the NRCMS system actually encourages existing migrant workers to return home. This paper concludes that the NRCMS has to some extent restrained the free flow of the labor force and exacerbated the migrant worker shortage.展开更多
In modem society, flexible employment has become the important channel of improve employment. Workers who transfer into the flexible employment from regular employment easily lost the original endowment insurance righ...In modem society, flexible employment has become the important channel of improve employment. Workers who transfer into the flexible employment from regular employment easily lost the original endowment insurance rights and interests, which increase the cost of laborer to flexible employment and impede the development of flexible employment. The establishment of the endowment insurance system of flexible employment can eliminate the apprehension of supporting themselves and enjoy in old age well.展开更多
To participate in social insurance is a major social responsibility of enterprises, even it is a mandatory social policy, companies still escaped pay society insurance. The serious consequences of this phenomenon beco...To participate in social insurance is a major social responsibility of enterprises, even it is a mandatory social policy, companies still escaped pay society insurance. The serious consequences of this phenomenon become increasingly prominent.it not only damaged the justice of labor market, but also violated the staffs interest. Various factors influence enterprise to participate in social insurance behavior .Human capital is the impact of insurance companies. This paper is mainly focusing on the theory analysis of different human capital participating behavior of enterprises. From the perspective of human capital, using the cost-benefit theory and rational choice theory in economics to explore participating behavior, enterprise employees of different human capital differences in attitude to attend social insurance. No matter enterprises with higher or lower human capital, enterprises and employees choose to participate in social insurance act consistently. But, it can improve participate of low human capital enterprise behavior when payment rate reduced. So, it is suggested that establishing a lower level of social insurance system is helpful to expand coverage, it can through e^tahllgh the sunnlementarv insurance system meet the needs of more people.展开更多
文摘The purpose of this study is to understand limitations and possibilities of organizing independent contractors by focusing on insurance solicitors in South Korea. Among various types of precarious employment, insurance solicitors are an exemplar case of independent contractor jobs in Korea. According to the narrow interpretation on the employment relationship by the courts, the labor standard law does not treat insurance solicitors as workers. And, most of insurance solicitors are not affiliated with labor unions. As a result, insurance solicitors are outside labor protections. Under this context, insurance solicitors attempted to organize their own union--Korean Insurance Agents' Union (KIAU) in the early 2000s, and turned it into a branch of Korean Finance and Service Workers' Union (KFSWU) in 2004. However, the KIAU lost its membership rapidly since the mid-2000s and has failed to revitalize itself until now. So, in this study, the author focuses on the changes in the employment structure behind the growth of the insurance industry in the private sector and the reason why union organizing of independent contractors was not successful.
文摘Founded in 1902 as the Transvaal Miners' Association, the South African Mine Workers' Union (MWU), as it was renamed in 1913, rose to prominence as a militant union for white miners, especially during the turbulent years of industrial strife and bloody strike action in the first two decades of the 20th century. Since the election victory of the Pact government in 1924 a program of pro-white protectionist legislation was introduced. As South Africa's most prominent white trade union of the 20th century, the MWU therefore became renowned for defending job reservation in the mining industry. After 1948, it enjoyed the National Party government's support in this regard. However, skilled labor shortages and changing labor conditions in the 1970s forced the government to introduce labor reform. Job reservation was scrapped and black unions were officially recognized. These initiatives put the MWU on a confrontational path with the government and the union aligned itself with right-wing political resistance and protest. But, the altered political and economic South African realities after 1994 forced the MWU to rethink its strategies. By 2002, it had reinvented and transformed itself into Solidarity, adequately equipped for addressing the labor challenges and demands of a post-apartheid South Africa. This article, based on the author's research of the South African labor movement in the early 20th century, traces the historical development of the union and its influence on South African political and labor history.
文摘In 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China,China has successfully transitioned from a closed economy to an open economy with the watershed year of reform and opening up in 1978 and modernized its social security system accordingly.This paper divides the transition of China’s social security system into seven stages before and after 1978.The traditional social security system was predicated on the dominant public ownership,a highly centralized economy,and“full employment.”It was congruous with the ownership structure,income distribution,and labor systems under the closed economy.The modern social security system is developed to meet the needs of an open economy and promotes economic development by giving play to consumption and investment,facilitating labor flow,and boosting productivity.The modern social security system requires further supply-side structural reforms to promote the high-quality development of the open economy.
基金This paper is sponsored by the MOE Young Scholars Fund Project of Humanities and Social Sciences, New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme and its Implication for Work Location Choices of Migrant Workers: A Comparison Study between the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) and the Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (grant 20Y.1C790206), and Distinguished Young Scholars Fund Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Intergenerational Transfer Mechanism of Human Capital and its Impact on Social Mobility in China: A Theoretical and Empirical Study" (grant 71103009).
文摘In 2003, China initiated the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) in order to provide basic health care coverage for the rural population. However, the NRCMS has had a marked impact on rural-urban labor migration as its current regulations present a barrier for cross-region participation in the NRCMS, and its reimbursement system is biased when the enrollees seek medical services outside their location of hukou, a household registration system in China. This paper performs a variety of empirical tests on a panel data set from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) to study how the NRCMS affects rural residents' work location choices. We observed a "locking effect" on potential rural migrant workers and a "pulling effect" on existing ones. According to the results, the NRCMS has discouraged rural residents from working outside their location of hukou, lowering the probability of relocation by 3.52 percent. Meanwhile, the NRCMS system actually encourages existing migrant workers to return home. This paper concludes that the NRCMS has to some extent restrained the free flow of the labor force and exacerbated the migrant worker shortage.
文摘In modem society, flexible employment has become the important channel of improve employment. Workers who transfer into the flexible employment from regular employment easily lost the original endowment insurance rights and interests, which increase the cost of laborer to flexible employment and impede the development of flexible employment. The establishment of the endowment insurance system of flexible employment can eliminate the apprehension of supporting themselves and enjoy in old age well.
文摘To participate in social insurance is a major social responsibility of enterprises, even it is a mandatory social policy, companies still escaped pay society insurance. The serious consequences of this phenomenon become increasingly prominent.it not only damaged the justice of labor market, but also violated the staffs interest. Various factors influence enterprise to participate in social insurance behavior .Human capital is the impact of insurance companies. This paper is mainly focusing on the theory analysis of different human capital participating behavior of enterprises. From the perspective of human capital, using the cost-benefit theory and rational choice theory in economics to explore participating behavior, enterprise employees of different human capital differences in attitude to attend social insurance. No matter enterprises with higher or lower human capital, enterprises and employees choose to participate in social insurance act consistently. But, it can improve participate of low human capital enterprise behavior when payment rate reduced. So, it is suggested that establishing a lower level of social insurance system is helpful to expand coverage, it can through e^tahllgh the sunnlementarv insurance system meet the needs of more people.