[asia-apec 290] Call for Solidarity Action for Korean Workers General Strike

[AMRC]

>Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 00:08:36 +0900
>From: KCTU-International <kctuint at chollian.dacom.co.kr>
>Organization: KCTU
>To: info at kimsoft.com
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>Subject: Call for Solidarity Action for Korean Workers General Strike
>
>         KOREAN CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS
>
>
>Mr Bill Jordan                        Mr John Evans
>General Secretary                     General Secretary
>International Confederation             Trade Union Advisory Committee
>of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)           to OECD (TUAC-OECD)
>
>
>Dear Brothers,
>
>Warmest greetings to melt all the snow and cold of this extraordinary winter.
>
>I would like to express our sincerest appreciation for the solidarity your 
>organisation has extended so far in support of our effort to bring about a genuine 
>reform of the labour in compliance with the ILO international labour standards.
>
>The general strike of Korean workers, led by the KCTU and FKTU, in defense 
>of the trade union and labour rights and the welfare of workers, now already 
>in its twelfth day since December 26, has already succeeded great deal as 
>indicated by the failure of the government to react immediately with a harsh 
>crackdown.
>
>I write at a time when the government has began to take steps to come down 
>on the striking workers and unions with harsh crackdown and arrest.  
>This is clearly seen in the summons issued by the public prosecutors to some 
>40 union leaders including 8 KCTU officers.
>
>If there ever were an opportunity for international solidarity to have a real 
>impact and influence on a situation, I believe, this is the most appropriate time. 
>
>We would like to request ICFTU and TUAC to organise a special joint mission -
> involving the key representatives of the two international bodies, ITSs, 
>and key ICFTU-affiliated national centres -- to come to Korea to investigate 
>the new anti-worker, anti-union labour law in solidarity with Korean workers.  
>Such a mission will have a very important effect of delaying the "eventual" 
>government crackdown and arrest of large number of union leaders that is 
>already in motion.
>
>We would also like to request ICFTU to call on all its affiliates to issue protest 
>letters to the Korean government to be hand delivered directly by the 
>representatives to the Korean embassies and/or hold public rallies/pickets 
>(of whatever size) outside the Korea diplomatic missions.  We believe the impact 
>of such a solidarity action can be maximised if it is held on the same day.  So 
>we suggest that this may be done on January 10, 1997, as much as possible.  
>This will magnify the international outcry against the undemocratic action of 
>the Korean government which is already well reflected in the international 
>media coverage, adding greater pressure on the Korean government.
>
>The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions will, we assure you, will maintain 
>our struggle until the government makes an official commitment to reopen the 
>parliamentary discussions involving the trade union representatives for 
>a re-amendment of the labour law.  This is the minimum demand we have 
>set forward against the new labour law which was passed in an undemocratic 
>manner and which contains various pernicious clauses that are aimed to set back 
>the clock on both the working conditions and trade union rights.
>
>We do not hesitate to acknowledge that the length and intensity of our struggle 
>would not have been possible with the strength of international solidarity and 
>vigilance, not only during the period of current strike, but through out the course 
>of drawn out debate for the entire year of 1996.
>
>The resilience by Korean workers and the international trade union movement till 
>the last moment will, we believe, bring about unimagined results that will usher 
>in an entirely new setting for trade union activities in Korea.
>
>We much appreciation, we look forward to you affirmative response.
>
>In solidarity,
>
>
>
>(signed)
>Kwon Young-kil
>President
>Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>(I take liberty in serving carbon copies of this letter to the following 
>brothers and sisters.)
>
>c. c.: Presidents, General Secretaries, and International Directors/Secretaries
>
>DGB, FNV, CGT-FO, CFDT, TUC, LO-Sweden, TCO-Sweden , LO-Norway, 
>LO-Denmark, CISL, CGIL, JTUC-Rengo, ACTU, AFL-CIO, NZTUC, CUT-Brazil, CLC;
>IMF, IUF, FIET, ITF, PSI, EI, IFBWW, ICEM.
>         KOREAN CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS
>
>
>Mr Bill Jordan                        Mr John Evans
>General Secretary                     General Secretary
>International Confederation             Trade Union Advisory Committee
>of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)           to OECD (TUAC-OECD)
>
>
>Dear Brothers,
>
>Warmest greetings to melt all the snow and cold of this extraordinary winter.
>
>I would like to express our sincerest appreciation for the solidarity your 
>organisation has extended so far in support of our effort to bring about a genuine 
>reform of the labour in compliance with the ILO international labour standards.
>
>The general strike of Korean workers, led by the KCTU and FKTU, in defense 
>of the trade union and labour rights and the welfare of workers, now already 
>in its twelfth day since December 26, has already succeeded great deal as 
>indicated by the failure of the government to react immediately with a harsh 
>crackdown.
>
>I write at a time when the government has began to take steps to come down 
>on the striking workers and unions with harsh crackdown and arrest.  
>This is clearly seen in the summons issued by the public prosecutors to some 
>40 union leaders including 8 KCTU officers.
>
>If there ever were an opportunity for international solidarity to have a real 
>impact and influence on a situation, I believe, this is the most appropriate time. 
>
>We would like to request ICFTU and TUAC to organise a special joint mission -
> involving the key representatives of the two international bodies, ITSs, 
>and key ICFTU-affiliated national centres -- to come to Korea to investigate 
>the new anti-worker, anti-union labour law in solidarity with Korean workers.  
>Such a mission will have a very important effect of delaying the "eventual" 
>government crackdown and arrest of large number of union leaders that is 
>already in motion.
>
>We would also like to request ICFTU to call on all its affiliates to issue protest 
>letters to the Korean government to be hand delivered directly by the 
>representatives to the Korean embassies and/or hold public rallies/pickets 
>(of whatever size) outside the Korea diplomatic missions.  We believe the impact 
>of such a solidarity action can be maximised if it is held on the same day.  So 
>we suggest that this may be done on January 10, 1997, as much as possible.  
>This will magnify the international outcry against the undemocratic action of 
>the Korean government which is already well reflected in the international 
>media coverage, adding greater pressure on the Korean government.
>
>The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions will, we assure you, will maintain 
>our struggle until the government makes an official commitment to reopen the 
>parliamentary discussions involving the trade union representatives for 
>a re-amendment of the labour law.  This is the minimum demand we have 
>set forward against the new labour law which was passed in an undemocratic 
>manner and which contains various pernicious clauses that are aimed to set back 
>the clock on both the working conditions and trade union rights.
>
>We do not hesitate to acknowledge that the length and intensity of our struggle 
>would not have been possible with the strength of international solidarity and 
>vigilance, not only during the period of current strike, but through out the course 
>of drawn out debate for the entire year of 1996.
>
>The resilience by Korean workers and the international trade union movement till 
>the last moment will, we believe, bring about unimagined results that will usher 
>in an entirely new setting for trade union activities in Korea.
>
>We much appreciation, we look forward to you affirmative response.
>
>In solidarity,
>
>
>
>(signed)
>Kwon Young-kil
>President
>Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>(I take liberty in serving carbon copies of this letter to the following 
>brothers and sisters.)
>
>c. c.: Presidents, General Secretaries, and International Directors/Secretaries
>
>DGB, FNV, CGT-FO, CFDT, TUC, LO-Sweden, TCO-Sweden , LO-Norway, 
>LO-Denmark, CISL, CGIL, JTUC-Rengo, ACTU, AFL-CIO, NZTUC, CUT-Brazil, CLC;
>IMF, IUF, FIET, ITF, PSI, EI, IFBWW, ICEM.
>