cyu
23rd July 2009, 05:50
Excerpts from http://kctu.org/ActionAlerts/3664
The KCTU announces that all affiliate unions will go on general strike as of 22nd July. This general strike is to condemn police operation aimed at clamping down the striking workers at Ssangyong Motors Pyeongtaek Plant... The general strike also targets the government and ruling party’s attempts to make downgrade revisions to various laws – known collectively to public as ‘MB (Lee Myung Bak) Evil Bills’ - regarding irregular (precarious) workers, those that aim to allow domination of media by large conglomerates
At 10:00 am on 20th July 2009, riot police entered the Ssangyong Motors Pyeongtaek Plant under the pretext of implementing forced execution (eviction) orders, and surrounded the paint shop building, which 800 workers are sitting-in, vigilantly waiting to violently clamp down on the workers. The management has ordered all non-striking employees back to work, and has also cut off electricity, water and gas to the paint factory. From 16th July, the management has blocked all food from entering the factory and then on 19th, disallowed medical doctors and nurses from entering the compound.
Just after the news went out about the police operations, the wife of KMWU Ssangyong Motors Branch policy director committed suicide. A mother of two young children, she was suffering stress and anxiety from receiving subpoenas and warrant for her husband’s arrest... The death of the unionist’s wife is de facto homicide committed by the management and government.
Despite polls showing opposition to these retrogressive revisions, the ruling Grand National Party, holding the majority of seats, is waiting to unilaterally push ahead with the bills... Media is the final stronghold of democracy. If media is controlled by large conglomerates and capital, then there is no hope for democracy in the South Korea.
The strike, which will continue until 24th July, will be centered around the Korea Metal Workers Union and the National Union of Media Workers, joined immediately by other workplaces of affiliate unions.
KCTU’s general strike is a stern struggle to stop degradation of democracy, built upon the sweat and blood of the Korean people, and to protect the lives of all workers. The general strike must continue strongly and indefatigably, despite whatever sacrifice and pain that may come in our way, because this July battle will decide the fate of workers – will all workers continue to live as slaves of capitalists or will workers be guaranteed their livelihoods and full basic labour rights?
We give our final warning to the government. Workers and the people will gain our victory. This is because the demands of the workers and the people are so much more just and powerful than the greed of the Lee Myung Bak and capital, and because we will not stop our struggle until the day we win.
The KCTU announces that all affiliate unions will go on general strike as of 22nd July. This general strike is to condemn police operation aimed at clamping down the striking workers at Ssangyong Motors Pyeongtaek Plant... The general strike also targets the government and ruling party’s attempts to make downgrade revisions to various laws – known collectively to public as ‘MB (Lee Myung Bak) Evil Bills’ - regarding irregular (precarious) workers, those that aim to allow domination of media by large conglomerates
At 10:00 am on 20th July 2009, riot police entered the Ssangyong Motors Pyeongtaek Plant under the pretext of implementing forced execution (eviction) orders, and surrounded the paint shop building, which 800 workers are sitting-in, vigilantly waiting to violently clamp down on the workers. The management has ordered all non-striking employees back to work, and has also cut off electricity, water and gas to the paint factory. From 16th July, the management has blocked all food from entering the factory and then on 19th, disallowed medical doctors and nurses from entering the compound.
Just after the news went out about the police operations, the wife of KMWU Ssangyong Motors Branch policy director committed suicide. A mother of two young children, she was suffering stress and anxiety from receiving subpoenas and warrant for her husband’s arrest... The death of the unionist’s wife is de facto homicide committed by the management and government.
Despite polls showing opposition to these retrogressive revisions, the ruling Grand National Party, holding the majority of seats, is waiting to unilaterally push ahead with the bills... Media is the final stronghold of democracy. If media is controlled by large conglomerates and capital, then there is no hope for democracy in the South Korea.
The strike, which will continue until 24th July, will be centered around the Korea Metal Workers Union and the National Union of Media Workers, joined immediately by other workplaces of affiliate unions.
KCTU’s general strike is a stern struggle to stop degradation of democracy, built upon the sweat and blood of the Korean people, and to protect the lives of all workers. The general strike must continue strongly and indefatigably, despite whatever sacrifice and pain that may come in our way, because this July battle will decide the fate of workers – will all workers continue to live as slaves of capitalists or will workers be guaranteed their livelihoods and full basic labour rights?
We give our final warning to the government. Workers and the people will gain our victory. This is because the demands of the workers and the people are so much more just and powerful than the greed of the Lee Myung Bak and capital, and because we will not stop our struggle until the day we win.