7 April, 2006KCTF-KCTU Seeks International Solidarity on Boycott of GS Caltex in Korea
Dear friends,
This is to inform you that ICEM affiliate, the Korean Chemical and Textile Workers’ Federation (KCTF), together with their national centre, KCTU, have launched, on 1 April 2006, a boycott campaign against the products of GS Caltex (formerly LG Caltex) in Korea, in a protest against the company’s labour practices.
In July 2004, the GS Caltex union went on strike against this oil company after a deadlock in negotiations. Talks broke down over such issues as the demand for a five-day, 40-hour work-week and the call for the non-discrimination of contract workers. Instead of bargaining with the workers, the company retaliated against the strikers, with the help of the Korean government, through excessive use of riot police, which brutally suppressed the strike.
After the end of the 20-day strike, management continued its aggressive anti-worker behaviour by screening returning workers, harassing families and dismissing almost all union officials, 30 in number. In addition, eight union leaders were arrested for their roles in the strike, and sentenced to periods of two to three years in prison. A total of 650 other workers were disciplined with three-month suspensions from work.
Until now, there has been no sign from the company that it wants to end its unfair labour practices or reinstate the dismissed union leaders. This led to the decision by the union to announce the boycott of LG-Caltex products inside Korea. GS Caltex Korea is 50% owned by Chevron and 50% by the Korean GS Holding.
We would like to ask you to support our Korean affiliate by sending a protest letter to the Korean government. A model protest letter is attached for that purpose.
The letter can be addressed to:
President Roh Moo-hyun
1 Sejong-no, Jongno-ku,
Seoul 110-820
Republic of Korea
Fax: +82-2-770.03.44
E-mail [email protected]
Please also send a copy to the Korean Ministry of Labour at [email protected].
We also strongly encourage you to send a message of support to the KCTF. A sample letter of solidarity is also attached. As with the protest letter to the government, please feel free to modify this letter, or to draft a similar one. Messages of support can be sent to:
BAE, Kang-wook
President, KCTF-KCTU
Fax: + 82 2 2632 4755
E-mail : [email protected]
Please send a copy of your support letter to: [email protected].
Fraternally,
Fred Higgs
General Secretary
For more background, please consult two earlier ICEM stories on the dispute.