Against the Labour Policy

Against the Labour Policy On July 4, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions waged anti-government struggle in protest against the south Korean authorities’ policy against the workers. About 35 000 manufacturing, public and financial workers of the trade unions participated. Nearly 20 000 manufacturing workers of Joint Struggle Headquarters held a rally at the plaza of the Seoul Station and declared joint general strike. The retrogressive revision of wage system and employment condition by the south Korean “government” is for the expansion of part-time job and mass dismissal, they noted in the joint statement. They insisted that the “government” should accept their demands such as reduction of working hours and wage increase and also stop the revision of labor market structure. They declared that there would be general strike of manufacturing workers against the revision of labor market structure on July 22 and simultaneous rallies of all branches throughout south Korea. At the end of the rally they marched, shouting slogans “Punish Park Dictatorship!”, “Check the Revision of Labor Market Structure!”                                       Meanwhile, 15 000 public and financial workers of Joint Struggle Headquarters held a rally in Seoul in demand of stopping the revision of labor market structure and privatization of the public. Holding slogans written “General Strike! Punish Park Geun-hye!”, “Achieve Basic Labor Right”, they condemned the Park regime who has made desperate bid to realize anti-workers policy. They insisted that the south Korean authorities are forcing only dismissal and intensive work without wage increase and are depriving the trade unions of rights to negotiate.                                   In essence, the “Normalization of Public Institution” and “Reforms in the Financial System” advertised by the “government” are aimed at turning the public institutions into moneymaking means, they denounced. Asserting that the authorities, who have spent tremendous money on the “Four Major Rivers Restoration Project”, are scheming to place the responsibility of it on the public workers, they appealed to the workers to launch the struggle against the anti-workers policy such as privatization of the public. At the end of the rally, the workers marched to Cheonggye Square. (4)