2023.11.11 - 전국노동자대회

Yesterday I attended the National Workers' Rally, which is held every year in November in honor of Jeon Tae-il.

[Image 1: Marching past City Hall; different unions have different colored vests & flags // Image 2: this year's poster]

120만 전태일의 반격! 퇴진광장을 열자!

1,200,000 [number of union members] Jeon Tae-il's counterattack! Let's open the resignation plaza!

노동 - 민생 - 민주 - 평화 파괴 윤석열 정권 퇴진! 전태일열사 정신계송

Destruction of Labor - Livelihood - Democracy - Peace Yoon Seok-Yeol regime, resign! Inherit the spirit of martyr Jeon Tae-il

(Sorry, I don't know how to make these slogans sound good in English lol...)

Who was Jeon Tae-il?

Jeon Tae-il worked in Seoul Peace Market (서울평화시장) in the mid-late 1960s doing sewing & other odd jobs. Although there were laws meant to protect the rights of workers, they weren't enforced. Workers were routinely forced to work unpaid overtime, injected with drugs to keep them awake, and suffered health issues like TB due to the unsanitary environments they had to work in.

In 1969, after learning about the laws, Jeon Tae-il started the first labor organization in the market, 바보회 (the Fool's Association), to educate the other workers about their rights. However, the government under dictator Park Chung-hee responded by cracking down harder on the employees trying to organize.

On November 13th, 1970 Jeon Tae-il set himself on fire and ran through the streets to bring attention to the terrible working conditions. He was 22 years old.

His death was a catalyst for people to unite in the struggle for workers' rights. Factory workers began forming unions and slowly the laws have been enforced/changed to protect workers. The struggle isn't over, though, so every year since 1988 the 전국노동자대회/National Workers' Rally has been held in Seoul.

By Korean American Support Committee for KCTU

The pain and anguish of workers who have protested against this system, going as far as self-immolation and death, is hard to describe with words. It is a terrifying reality in which workers must fight to defend their constitutionally guaranteed right to collectively bargain and take collective action.

Excerpt

An estimated 25,000 union members took part in the rally in downtown Seoul, causing massive traffic congestion and leading to some 80 noise complaints being filed with the police.

The union falls under the umbrella Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU).

"Our Constitution guarantees the freedom of assembly and demonstration, and as president, I, too, have respected this," Yoon said.

"However, guaranteeing the freedom of assembly and demonstration does not mean infringements on another person's freedoms and basic rights, or acts disturbing the public order, are justified."

Yoon said the previous administration effectively abandoned its law enforcement duties with regard to illegal rallies and demonstrations, leading to intolerable levels of inconvenience for the people.

"It will be difficult for the people to tolerate the actions of the KCTU during the rally that infringed on people's freedoms and basic rights, and disturbed the public order," he said. "Our government will not neglect or tolerate any form of illegal action."

Related links and notes

South Korean Government Program to Import Filipina Maids - May 2023

Korea: union offices raided - January 2023

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) had their offices raided twice this week, by the National Intelligence Service (NIS), alleging that members of KCTU violated the National Security Act.

No Letup in Strikes as KCTU Mobilizes - June 2003

The KCTU also held rallies in 18 regions all over the country, demanding the abolition of the National Education Information System (NEIS). The Korean Public Officials Union’s 500 members also held a rally at Jongmyo Park, demanding three labor rights—to organize, negotiate and to take group action.

The 25,000 day and night-shift employees of the Hyundai Motor Company Union each held a four-hour strike. They plan to hold another six-hour strike and to refuse overtime work for two hours on June 26.

The Ministry of Labor said that the two-day strike is predicted to cause a total of W73.6 billion in losses for Hyundai Motors. A Kia Motor factory in Hwaseong will suffer from W1.2 billion in losses, and Ssangyong Motor will suffer a W3 billion loss, for a total of W88 billion in damage to the three firms, the ministry said.

Furthermore, this strike is expected to affect large-scale manufacturers such as Doosan Heavy Industry, Tongil Heavy Industry, Hanjin Heavy Industry, and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. The labor unions of most of the companies are to participate in another KCTU general strike on July 2, which could sink the firms’ export plans.

Union Is Ensuring Its Own Demise - January 5, 2003

Workers of Tongil Heavy Industries Co. and Kohap Corporations, which are under court receivership and a debt restructuring program, respectively, are on strike, demanding pay raises and protesting restructuring.

Tongil/S&T?

Tongil was well known for its militant labor union, which led Choi to hesitate about an acquisition at first.

South Korea: More than 100 Trade Unionists Detained - October 2, 1998

Even in South Korea, Few Know Extent of Rev. Moon’s Empire (1988)

Kishida continues shallow MRA-style apologies for war crimes Catholic mass in South Korea demanding President Yoon to resign for “selling out Korea to Japan” The Imperial Ghost in the Neoliberal Machine (Figuring the CIA) - Koichiro Osaka

In America these days, almost any information about North Korea, be it rumor, fake news, or just plain silly, becomes fodder for the mainstream media. [...]

But when it comes to South Korea, which hosts 28,500 American ground troops and the Pentagon’s largest military base outside of North America, U.S. media coverage is, shall we say, highly selective. That was made resoundingly clear on August 14, when Seoul was the scene for the largest public demonstration in decades against the U.S. military presence in South Korea.

Amazingly, not a word about the protest appeared in the U.S. media.

That Saturday, thousands of people chanting “this land is not a U.S. war base” demonstrated against Ulchi Freedom Shield, the first large-scale military exercises between U.S. and South Korean forces since 2017. The protests were organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), South Korea’s second-largest labor federation. They were joined by a range of progressive allies, including People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), an influential citizen’s group founded in 1994.

“At a time when military tensions on the Korean Peninsula are escalating and there is no clue for inter-Korean dialogue, we are concerned that an aggressive large-scale military exercise will exacerbate the situation,” PSPD declared. “We once again urge the US and ROK governments to suspend the ROK-US joint military exercise and make efforts to create conditions for dialogue.” At the demonstration, protesters took direct aim at the heart of U.S. policy in Korea, with signs that read “No war rehearsal, No U.S.” and “No Korea-U.S.-Japan military cooperation.”

Outside of the Korean press, the only outlets to cover this massive showing against militarism were Iran’s Press TV and China’s CGTN, which provided extensive video of the mobilization. The single print story on the march appeared in Xinhua, China’s daily wire service. Neither the New York Times or the Washington Post, which often set the pace for U.S. press coverage of Asia, deemed the demonstration newsworthy.

23 Aug 22

A massive anti-US rally was held in Seoul on August 13th 2022. The participants demanded the South Korean government stop the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises scheduled for this month, and called for the dissolution of the SK-U.S. alliance and the withdrawal of US forces in S.Korea.

Yang Kyung-soo, chief of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a major umbrella labor union of South Korea, said at the protest rally that staging military exercises in preparation for a war is tantamount to intending to wage a war, according to local newspaper Chosun Ilbo.

Intervento della ILO a favore dei camionisti sudcoreani

Dopo lo sciopero dei camionisti, interviene anche l'Organizzazione Internazionale del Lavoro a difesa dei lavoratori sudcoreani

Hankyoreh riporta in un articolo di oggi che l'ILO (International Labour Organization) sta intervenendo contro la risposta dura del governo Yoon ai camionisti, in sciopero da fine Novembre, in quanto la risposta sarebbe "in violazione delle convenzioni fondamentali" - più precisamente della Convenzione ILO n. 87 sulla libertà di associazione e la tutela del diritto di organizzazione, e Convenzione n. 29 sul lavoro forzato.

Perché i camionisti stanno scioperando?

Lo sciopero è stato organizzato dalla Cargo Truckers Solidarity Division, nell'ambito del Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU), affiliato alla Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). Le motivazioni sono legate agli aumenti del prezzo del trasporto a causa della crisi del carburante (crisi che tocca anche l'Europa) - i camionisti chiedono che il prezzo minimo rimanga invariato, anche se la scadenza dello stesso sarà a fine 2022; le proteste si sono spostate poi contro il governo e la risposta ricevuta dagli scioperanti: il governo ha ordinato a circa 2.500 autisti di camion di cemento di tornare al lavoro, affermando che il loro sciopero sta mettendo in crisi l'economia nazionale.

I manifestanti, per lo più membri della KCTU, hanno accusato il governo del presidente Yoon Suk Yeol di oppressione del lavoro e di ignorare quelle che hanno descritto come le dure condizioni di lavoro e le difficoltà finanziarie dei camionisti. (Fonte)

Hàn QuốcCửa hàng không nhân viên là đối tượng yêu thích của đạo chích, tuy nhiên, các ông chủ cho biết thà bị mất hàng còn hơn phải thuê người vì chi phí nhân công quá cao. Ông Kim, một chủ cửa hàng kem không nhân viên ở thành phố Daejeon, cho biết mỗi tháng bắt quả tang 10 vụ trộm chưa kể những vụ không phát hiện được. Số tiền thất thoát dù vậy vẫn ít hơn so với chi phí nhân công. "Biết là sẽ bị mất cắp nhưng ngày càng nhiều người chọn mở cửa hàng không nhân viên", ông Kim nói. Một cửa hàng không nhân viên ở thành phố Daejeon. Ảnh: Lee Byung Jun Năm 2018, Hàn Quốc có 267 hàng kem không nhân viên. Năm 2021, hơn1.400 cửa hàng như vậy đã được mở, theo số liệu từ Ủy ban thương mại. Các cửa hàng không người phục vụ đã tăng gấp 5 lần trong thời gian ba năm, thậm chí còn tăng mạnh hơn nếu gộp cả những cửa hàng tư nhân.Nguồn tin trong ngành tiết lộ với tờ JoongAng Ilbo, dù chưa có thống kê chính thức về số lượng cửa hàng không nhân viên, quy mô tăng trưởng có thể ngang với các cửa hàng nhượng quyền. Dù vậy, vấn đề trộm cắp cũng gia tăng cùng với sự tăng trưởng của mô hình này. Theo cảnh sát Hàn Quốc, từ tháng 3/2021 đến tháng 6/2022, có hơn 6.300 vụ trộm cắp tại các cửa hàng không nhân viên xảy ra, trung bình 13 vụ mỗi ngày.Đây là đối tượng của nhiều đạo chích tuổi teen. Báo chí thường xuyên đưa tin về các vụ thanh thiếu niên đột kích cửa hàng không người phục vụ tại Busan vào sáng sớm. Một số lấy trộm tiền, nhưng nhiều nhất là lấy cắp đồ ăn, bánh bao hay bỏ túi vài que kem, Lee, một chủ cửa hàng tại Sejong, cho biết.Lý do ngày càng nhiều người chọn mở cửa hàng không nhân viên dù dễ bị trộm cắp là chi phí nhân công tăng cao. Năm nay, lương tối thiểu theo giờ tại Hàn Quốc là 9.620 won (gần 177.000 đồng), tăng 15% so với năm 2019.Hai công đoàn lớn nhất là Liên đoàn công đoàn Hàn Quốc (FKTU) và Liên minh công đoàn Hàn Quốc (KCTU) đang yêu cầu tăng lương tối thiểu thêm 25% vào năm 2024. Lee, ông chủ 37 tuổi của hàng kem không nhân viên tại Seoul, chia sẻ đã nghĩ về việc thuê nhân viên...

Just read what it is about today - "Unionized workers affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) plan to strike in Seoul, May 16-17. The purpose of the 48-hour strike is to address various issues, including commemorating the death of a construction official who committed suicide, as well as calling for the resignation of President Yoon Suk Yeol."

[1일 1포 - 25/28]

Went to a union meeting today, so here are some words more or less related (in my mind, at least)

노동조합 (노조) - labor union

전국민주노동조합총연맹 (민주노총) - Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) [this one is more left-leaning]

한국노동조합총연맹 (한국노총) - Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) [this one is more right-leaning]

노동자, 근로자 - worker

조합비 - union dues

강령 - a creed, doctrine

(총)파업 - (general) strike

시위 - protest, demonstration

선언하다 - to declare, proclaim

연대하다 - to be in solidarity, unity

인권 - human rights

최저임금 - minimum wage [currently 9,620원 = $7.31]

근로자의 날 (5월 1일) - Labor Day, Workers' Day (May 1st)

민주주의 - democracy

자본주의 - capitalism

사회주의 - socialism

공산주의 - communism

And these are the political parties that are generally supportive of the KCTU: 진보당 (Progressive Party), 노동당 (Labor Party), 정의당 (Justice Party), 녹색당 (Green Party)

By Scott Scheffer

Not one major U.S. publication mentioned that on August 14, tens of thousands of South Korean people demonstrated in the streets of Seoul against the U.S. military presence and plans for the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises. The demonstration was called by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, South Korea’s second-largest labor confederation.

South Korean Government Program to Import Filipina Maids

Tweets from Raphael Rashid (koryodynasty)

The South Korean government is considering a pilot programme to import Filipina maids to Seoul later this year to ease childcare burdens and address the low birthrate problem. But concerns have been raised about forced labour and impact on local workers. https://www.news1.kr/articles/5041042

Bringing foreign nannies and housekeepers to South Korea to help increase the country's birthrate is not a new idea. Recently, the proposal sparked outrage when politicians wanted them to be exempt from the minimum wage. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/30/foreign-maids-and-no-military-service-south-korea-criticised-over-ideas-to-boost-birthrate

Under the new proposal, the maids would be subject to the minimum wage, which is KRW 9620/hour, and the plan is to have them commute to and from work instead of living in their employers' homes.

The monthly salary for working 8 hours/day, 5 days/week, incl. holidays, is around 2 million won, which is less than the salary for Korean or Chinese domestic workers, the latter of whom in particular are already subject to discrimination and human rights abuses.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has demanded that the government scrap the idea, raising concerns about the labour rights of female migrant workers and the quality of care for children. http://nodong.org/statement/7814948

It said that the visa under which the women would enter, the E-9, which is typically reserved for low-skilled workers, is a form of modern-day slavery with weak labour rights protections, and that women are exposed to sexual violence due to limited ability to move workplace.

The KCTU also raised the issue of potential exploitation and abuse given their vulnerable position as non-native speakers and foreigners in an unfamiliar culture.

The focus for now seems to be on bringing maids from the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian countries. Critics are saying their introduction would undercut the existing market leading to job losses, and that the government should focus on nurturing workers at home.

Other concerns are that if foreign maids are paid minimum wages and commute from their homes, they will not be able to save much money after house and commute expenses are deducted. https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1091243.html

More importantly, there are concerns that such a system would fail to address the issue at hand: the low birthrate. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is the most vocal supporter of this proposal, expressing a strong desire to bring in foreign domestic workers.

In a Facebook post, Oh agreed with Nobel laureate Michael Kremer, a professor at the University of Chicago, who believes that Korea needs an immigration policy that includes a special visa programme for foreign domestic workers, similar to Hong Kong and Singapore.

While such a system would undoubtedly benefit some families who already have children or those who definitely want children, it is unclear whether the birthrate would actually increase. Singapore and Hong Kong have some of the world's lowest birth rates.

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