An urgent request for solidarity messages for South Korean trade unions

[William Barry]

Friends -

I am wondering if you could please forward this to your union leadership and other union members to quickly get solidarity statements to our South Korean friends before December 11.

Thanks very much,
Virginia

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: CJ Park <contac...@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 2:28 AM
Subject: a request for solidarity messages
To: Virginia Rodino <virgini...@gmail.com>, Michelle Robidoux <michelle...@sympatico.ca>

Hi Virginia and Michelle,

 

I am writing to request that you send the attached uregent appeal for solidarity messages from the National Public Workers' Union to trade unions and social organizations.

 

They would like to receive solidarity messages to be read aloud at the rally on December 12.

I know it is a very short notice. Any message would be great. It would be better to get it from public workers and teachers unions.

 

 

Urgent Appeal for Solidarity Messages

 

For ages, Korean public servants worked as slaves to the ruling regime without basic labor rights. But very recently, 100,000 public workers got together to form a trade union not to serve the regime but to serve the people.

Despite the brutal repression and meddling of the government, they voted to join the KCTU and officially formed the National Public Workers’ Union through a delegate conference.

 

In response, the Lee Myung-bak (LMB) government raided the office of the National Public Workers’ Union on December 1, 2009. This is just a couple of hours before the union was reported to file the application for the registration of the union. The only reason for the raid was to find an excuse to deny the application. The LMB government stated that it “searched the office on a charge of committing illegal acts by the National Public Workers Union for participating in the National Workers’ Rally and distributing leaflets.” However, the National Workers’ Rally which was held on November 18 was an annual and the biggest labor event in South Korea. So what they are saying is that it is illegal for public workers to participate in a workers’ rally and distribute leaflets.

 

The right of association for public workers is guaranteed by the constitution. Even recently the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights advised the LMB government to guarantee the right of association for public workers.

 

In November, the LMB government passed an ordinance for public workers that makes illegal for public workers to oppose the government policies. Considering the fact that government policies have direct effect on public workers’ wage, welfare and working condition, this is nothing but an attempt to ban public workers’ union activities.

 

Progressive political parties, trade unions, and social organizations in South Korea have formed a coalition to defend and give solidarity to public workers and teachers.

 

The coalition is planning to build a resistance against the brutal repression on public workers and teachers. The first concrete step would be to organize a national public workers’ rally on December 12, 2009, in protest of the rejection of the application for the union registration and the dismissal of the newly elected chairperson of the union.

 

We appeal to international progressive parties, trade unions, and social and civic organizations for solidarity.

 

The Joint Action Committee to End the Repression against Public Workers and Teachers

December 3, 2009