KCTU to launch general strike on July 2
The Hankyoreh | 17 June 2008
KCTU to launch general strike on July 2
Labor movement will lead candlelight protests for renegotiation of U.S. beef agreement, KCTU says
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions will enter into a general strike on July 2 to urge the government to renegotiate the beef deal. Approximately 70.3 percent of the 271,322 KTCU members who participated in voting were reported to have agreed to launch a general strike in conjunction with the Hyundai Motors’ union, which belongs to the industry-wide Korean Metal Workers’ Union. The unions will go on strike on June 16. The KTCU has approximately 630,000 members.
During an interview with The Hankyoreh on June 16, KCTU Chairman Lee Seok-haeng said that the progressive KCTU, one of Korea’s two largest umbrella unions, will decide when is the right time to launch a general strike to breathe new life into the candlelight protests. The union set a date for the strike after having given consideration to when the metal workers and public employees unions would join them and participate, Lee added.
The Metal Workers’ Union and the Korean Railway Workers’ Union are also planning to hold a vote on whether to stage a walkout. Voting will be held on June 25-26 and June 23-25 for each union, respectively.
Lee remarked that organized laborers will seek to take a leading role in the candlelight protests for renegotiation of the U.S. beef import agreement, expressing his regrets that the nation’s labor community has not done its part to support the protest movement. The KCTU plans to instruct all of its members to join candlelight rallies to be held on June 18 and June 21.
In connection with an ongoing strike by truckers and construction workers, Lee said, “The problem can only be resolved when the government discloses the cost of oil prices and recognizes self-employed truck drivers as laborers,” a move that would allow the truck drivers to negotiate directly with cargo owners.
“There will inevitably be clashes with the government over education policy and privatization of the public sector,” Lee said, warning, “Unless the government of President Lee Myung-bak doesn’t change its policy of considering people as employees of ‘Korea Inc.,’ President Lee may have to resign.”
In the meantime, up to 55.9 percent of the members of Hyundai Motors Labor Union, or more than 21,600 members out of 38,637, voted for the strike and support renegotiation of the U.S. beef agreement.
