Labor and Management Are Coming into Head-on Clash

The general strike of Korean Confederation of Trade Unions scheduled on April 2nd might be stirring the Korean society by the decision to join the strike of Korea Teachers Union (KTU), Korea Electric Power Industry Union (KEPIU), Korea Railroad Union, Korea Gas Corporation Union, three unions of motor companies, Social Insurance Union, and Korea Health and Medical Industry Union.

This general strike of KCTU is to urge the government to dialogue with KEPIU, anticipating high possibility of frontal collision of the labor side and the government.

Lee Soo-Ho, chairperson of KTU, had a press conference at his office in Yoido and revealed that “if the government persistently keeps its hard line responses, 90,000 union members in 16 branch unions will leave school early to participate in the local rallies on April 2nd. ”

KTU will also carry on propaganda to inform the justification of the government officials union and the problem of the electric power industry privatization to students at morning meetings or related classes and will raise fund to support the strike of KEPIU.

In addition, KCTU revealed that over 100,000 union members of Metal Industry Unions including Hyundai Motors Union, Kia Motors Union, and Ssangyong Motors Union, and the member unions of Public Union Confederation such as Korea Gas Corporation, Korea Railroad Union, Health Clinic Union, and Democratic Chemistry Union would join the general strike from 2nd or 3rd.

However, it is anticipated that students` parents may protest against the sabotage of early leave by the teacher unionists.

A Mr. Lee complained, “considering the unique status of teachers, I cannot understand the way KTU fight against the government, taking students as hostages. I am sick and tired of the teachers who ignore the education rights of students and run out for fights several times a year.”

In relation, Education Minister Lee Sang-Joo held a meeting of vice education superintendents to urge the students to control themselves in order not to participate in the illegal strikes. The government will take harsh treatments to the participating teachers.

Labor Ministry also warned that the general strike of KCTU will be an illegal strike by violating the procedure and purposes of strike regulated by law and the government will punish the participants by law and principle.

Besides, 5 affiliate companies of KEPCO had a personnel management committee and decided to dismiss 144 unionists. In consequence, the dismissed unionists since the strike began numbered 342.

The government is not planning to resume a negotiation as long as KEPIU sticks to its position for the withdrawal of privatization.

Meanwhile, Yoo Shi-Wang, consulting advisor of Samsung Securities Co., worried about the strike, saying “the credibility of Korea may be damaged badly be the general strike in such a favorable situation that Moody`s raised two notches of the sovereign rating of Korea and economy is just on its way of recovery.”

Jin Lee leej@donga.com · Yong Park parky@donga.com