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30 June, 2001The KCTU declares strikes for resignation of Kim Dae-jung government in response to a grave provocation by the government.
KOREA, REP: The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has called a political strike for July 5, and the main force to lead the strike will be the Korean Metal Workers Federation (KMWF).
The decision for the general strike was made after Mun Sung-hyun, president of the KMWF, strongly called for general strikes to stop the neoliberal drive of the government and to attain the KCTU's demands. Mun also added that auto industry workers from Hyundai, Kia, and Ssangyong are already taking procedures for the general strike on July 6, and union representatives for shipbuilding industry workers made resolutions to organise strikes. In response to Mun, members of KCTU Central Committee demanded leaderships to declare a general strike with the participation of all 600,000 KCTU members on the same day.
After the unanimous decision for the political strike was made, the second agenda to step up the KCTU's campaign for the resignation of the government was discussed. At the end of the discussion members of the Central Committee requested to call a KCTU emergency National Congress to decide a possible Seoul rally with the participation of 100,000 KCTU members from all over the country in case the government continues oppressing the KCTU.
These are the KCTU demands:
- stop neoliberal restructuring plans and projected layoffs;
- stop discrimination against casual and irregular workers;
- secure the rights to form a union of public service workers and university professors;
- extend the public education system and public medical system;
- abolish the National Security Laws;
- drop the warrants of arrest against the KCTU leadership and stop oppression against the KCTU;
- resignation of the Kim Dae-jung government.
The decision for the general strike was made after Mun Sung-hyun, president of the KMWF, strongly called for general strikes to stop the neoliberal drive of the government and to attain the KCTU's demands. Mun also added that auto industry workers from Hyundai, Kia, and Ssangyong are already taking procedures for the general strike on July 6, and union representatives for shipbuilding industry workers made resolutions to organise strikes. In response to Mun, members of KCTU Central Committee demanded leaderships to declare a general strike with the participation of all 600,000 KCTU members on the same day.
After the unanimous decision for the political strike was made, the second agenda to step up the KCTU's campaign for the resignation of the government was discussed. At the end of the discussion members of the Central Committee requested to call a KCTU emergency National Congress to decide a possible Seoul rally with the participation of 100,000 KCTU members from all over the country in case the government continues oppressing the KCTU.
These are the KCTU demands:
- stop neoliberal restructuring plans and projected layoffs;
- stop discrimination against casual and irregular workers;
- secure the rights to form a union of public service workers and university professors;
- extend the public education system and public medical system;
- abolish the National Security Laws;
- drop the warrants of arrest against the KCTU leadership and stop oppression against the KCTU;
- resignation of the Kim Dae-jung government.