[APWSLMembers 208] solidarity message to KCTU

Kilusang Mayo Uno kmuid at tri-isys.com
Tue Mar 7 17:37:18 JST 2006


KMU Solidarity message to KCTU on their general strike

6 March 2006

Mr. Jo, Jun-Ho
President
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
2nd Fl. Daeyoung Bldg., 139 Youngdeungpo-2-ga,
Youngdeungpo-ku, Seoul 150-032 Korea
E-mail: <mailto:inter at kctu.org>inter at kctu.org



To Mr. Jo, Jun-Ho and our friends in the KCTU,

The Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement) strongly supports your 
struggle against the passage of a legislation that allows the 
legalization of irregular workers by the Parliament environment and 
labour committee.

Thru your general strike, the KCTU has once again demonstrated to the 
capitalists, the Korean government and to the world that it is ready 
to defend the interest of the workers.  We congratulate you for the 
initial success of your nationwide strike, that drew the 
participation of about 150,000 unionists at over 150 workplaces and 
protest rallies in about 10 major cities.

Labor flexibilization affects not just the Korean workers but all the 
workers all over the world.  It is a global phenomenon brought forth 
by the capitalists' over-zealous drive to gain super-profits amidst 
the intensification of the world economic crisis.  It is one of the 
many schemes designed to further imperialist globalization.

Governments and capitalists tout labor flexibilization as essential 
to 'global competitiveness'.  But the workers know otherwise.  The 
implementation of labor flexibilization policies took away regular 
jobs and replaced them with contractual labor.  As a result, workers 
are denied security of tenure, paid lower wages with little or no 
benefits, deprived of their right to form and join unions, 
participate in collective bargaining, and exercise their right to strike.

This is the same experience that we have in the Philippines.  It is 
the Philippine government itself that sells our country to foreign 
investors by implementing cheap labor policy.  In the name of 'global 
competitiveness', flexible employment policies are being carried out 
with impunity especially in the export processing zones and 
industrial enclaves where foreign capital abounds.

Capitalists use labor flexibilization to divide the ranks of the 
workers.  They want to pit regular workers with contractual 
workers.  It is imperative therefore to show to the capitalists that 
workers all over the world are one in fighting against globalization 
schemes that affect their rank.

We must continue organizing the ranks of the contractual workers, 
include them in the unions and fight for their job security.  The 
contractual workers, apprentices, irregular workers, dispatched 
workers and the many others that they call by various names, have the 
intrinsic right to better wages and benefits.  They have the right 
for their voices to be heard.  They have the right to exercise their 
economic and political rights.

Thus, we commend the general strike that you launched against a 
legislation that aims to legalize irregular workers to further 
exploit and oppress them and squeeze profits from their toil.  In the 
same way, we strongly condemn the Korean government and the National 
Labor Relations Commission for putting into compulsory arbitration 
the labor dispute as well as declaring the strike illegal.  We urge 
you to firmly stand on your ground as you continue to fight for what 
is just and right.

We wish you all the courage, strength and determination on your 
general strike.  Only thru the unity of the workers will victory be achieved.

Long live KCTU!
Long live the struggle of the workers!
Defend job security, no to labor flexibilization!
Fight imperialist globalization that brings about labor 
flexibilization schemes!
Long live international solidarity!


In solidarity,
Elmer Labog
KMU Chairperson




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