[Peace-discuss] Fwd: South Korean unions threaten strikes ahead of World Cup

[Al Kagan]

FYI, it seems we need to discuss globalization issues a bit more in 
the context of international solidarity.  For example, the 
anti-sweatshop movement is an example of a US consumers movement 
allying with a poor country producers labor movement.  Or the 
pervious boycott of Shell Oil was an example of the US consumers 
allying with the movement of the Ogoni people in Nigeria who were 
protesting Shell's defilement of their environment.

In another way, our support for women's movement in Afghanistan, 
RAWA, might be another example of solidarity.  A current example is 
our hosting of the Israeli refusenik.  We can also think about how we 
relate to the Palestinian struggle in a more direct way.

>Delivered-To: akagan at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu
>Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 08:22:31 +0400
>From: Fiona Hunt <Fiona.Hunt at zu.ac.ae>
>Subject: South Korean unions threaten strikes ahead of World Cup
>To: "<" <mai-list at moon.bcpl.gov.bc.ca>
>Sender: owner-mai-list at moon.bcpl.gov.bc.ca
>Status:  
>
>http://sg.news.yahoo.com/reuters/asia-105976.html
>
>
>Reuters					      Monday May 20, 2002
>
>South Korean unions threaten strikes ahead of World Cup
>
>SEOUL  - South Korean unions threatened on Monday to launch nationwide
>strikes in key sectors just days from the start of the World Cup finals,
>unless the government cuts the working week and scraps privatisation plans.
>
>The strikes, which could begin on Wednesday if the government fails to agree
>to a five-day, 40-hour working week and halt plans to privatise the power
>industry, would involve taxi drivers, hospital workers and metal and
>chemical industry employees.
>
>If they go ahead, the strikes would deal a blow to a country already
>tackling a growing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and a political scandal
>involving one of the president's sons.
>
>"We want the government to implement a five-day work week," Yoon Young-mo,
>an official at the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, told
>Reuters on Monday. The umbrella union group has a total membership of
>600,000 in a nation of 48 million people.
>
>Unionised workers are demanding a 40-hour working week from the present
>44-hour schedule required by law.
>
>The government hopes to introduce a shorter working week, one of President
>Kim Dae-jung's campaign promises, from the second half of this year for
>large companies in return for workers accepting pay cuts and fewer holidays.
>
>
>"We are also demanding an end to privatisations for state-run utilities," he
>said.
>
>The country's power union staged a six-week strike starting in late
>February, demanding the government drop its privatisation plan.
>
>Privatisation of state-run companies was also among the president's election
>campaign promises. But the South Korean leader has come under increasing
>pressure to ease the reform drive, started in the wake of the 1997-98 Asian
>financial crisis, as his ruling party faces elections in December.
>
>Just hours after the strike threat, President Kim urged unionists for their
>cooperation during the soccer finals.
>
>"Tomorrow is D-10 (day 10) for the opening of the World Cup," presidential
>spokeswoman Park Son-sook said in her daily news briefing.
>
>"This is the time to demonstrate the energy of the Korean people," she said.
>"We expect the participation of all Koreans."
>
>Last week, the South Korean leader asked his prime minister to meet labour
>unions and opposition lawmakers to urge them to avoid industrial and
>political unrest during the soccer finals which kick off in Seoul on May 31.
>
>
>"The strikes will involve 30,000 workers from metal and chemical industries,
>25,000 hospital workers and 10,000 taxi drivers," Yoon said.
>
>"If the negotiations with the government go well, then we will halt our
>strike action."
>
>South Korea and Japan will co-host the 2002 World Cup finals from May 31 to
>June 30.

-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu