한국과 영국의 최저임금기구 운영실태 비교연구

This study aims to examine the ways in which the Korean Minimum Wage Committee and the British Low Pay Commission are operating. A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers in order to increases the standard of living of workers,reduces poverty and inequality and boosts morale. In Korea, the Minimum Wage Committee (MWC), which consists of 9 Commissioners each representing workers, employers and public interest (27 Commissioners in total), deliberates the most appropriate level of minimum wages. However, 27 Commissioners have only 7 times reached unanimous agreement on the minimum wage level, although there have been 25 deliberations of the Committee every year since 1988. It is one of reasons why the Korean government is considering amending the operation of the MWC in order to maximize its efficiency. In Britain, the Low Pay Commission (LPC) was established as an independent body as a result of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 to advise the Government about the National Minimum Wage. There are nine members of the Commission drawn from a range of employee, employer and academic backgrounds. All the Commissioners serve in an individual capacity and not as representatives of the organizations for which they work. Notably, 9 commissioners of the LPC have reached unanimous agreement on the minimum wage level every year. This paper is based on a comparative study which focuses on the structure of the MWC and the LPC, the appointment process of their commissioners, how to reach a consensus among commissioners, and the structure and roles of their secretariat bodies. It is hoped that this study would provide meaningful insight and lessons for Korea to reform the crippled operation of the MWC.