KEPCO workers to go on strike Monday

The labor union of the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) reconfirmed Sunday that it would begin a general strike at 8 a.m., Monday.

Following the planned KEPCO workers¡¯ walkout, the labor sector plans to hold a massive rally Tuesday in the center of Seoul.

Asiana Airlines¡¯ pilots¡¯ labor union warned that it would launch a strike on Dec. 7 and unionists at the metropolitan railroad corporation operating Seoul subway lines 5-8 plan to walk off the job on Dec. 8.

With the latest moves by the various labor unions, this week is expected to be crucial to determining the future of this year¡¯s ¡°winter struggle¡¯¡¯ by the nation¡¯s two major umbrella trade organizations, experts said.

The union of the state-run utility claimed that the National Assembly¡¯s plan to shelve the sell-off of its subsidiaries for one year is ¡°not useful at all¡± for the union, and that it should not become an excuse for its withdrawal of the strike plan.

It ordered all union members nationwide to gather at the corporation¡¯s main building in Seoul to join the strike. But it said it had put off a strike by 300 nuclear reactor engineers and repair staff for 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the committee of labor, management and government held a special arbitration meeting at the National Labor Relations Commission Sunday afternoon to seek ways to break through the difficult situation. It is thought that there is little possibility for the union to shelve the strike again because the will of the government (toward restructuring of the utilities) is firm.