North and South Korea

South Korea: union-based party's breakthrough

The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) won 10 seats in South Korea's general election on 15 April and emerged as the third largest party in its parliament, the National Assembly. The Uri Party, which supports the president Roh Moo-hyun, won 152 seats in the 299-seat National Assembly, giving it a slim majority. The DLP, formed in 2000 and backed by the independent Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), won two seats in electoral districts and an additional eight seats after winning 13.1% of the party vote. Changes in the electoral system helped the DLP. This was the first election where some...

Workers of the World - ROUND-UP

Zanón factory - two years under workers' control Anti-privatisation protest in Thailand Korean workers win wider union rights Zanón factory - two years under workers' control Every day, the 330 workers of Zanón Ceramics Factory who both work at and run the largest ceramic floor-tile factory in Argentina are, legally speaking, usurping the factory and its machinery. That they have been able to sustain this legally precarious situation for two years is due to the incredible solidarity they have garnered from their local community in Neuquén. While an outstanding order to evict these workers has...

Left, right and nationalism in Korea's trade unions

Militant class struggle has been a feature of South Korean politics for many years. In April there are elections to the National Assembly (parliament) and some workers' candidates are standing. This critical assessment is written by Won Youngsu , a member of the South Korean Marxist group, the Power of the Working Class. It is abridged from International Viewpoint No 356, February 2004. In the summer of 1987, after a nationwide mobilisation against the military regime's attempt to maintain its grip on power, workers rose up all over the country. Spontaneous waves of over 3,000 strikes were...

Workers of the world Round-up

By Pablo Velasco Colombian oil workers halt privatisation: solidarity works! "Massive summer strikes" planned in Korea ANC against anti-privatisation activists Argentine workers fight for a six-hour day Colombian oil workers halt privatisation: solidarity works! Colombian oil workers have won their struggle against privatisation, thanks to their resolute strike action backed up by international solidarity. In the last issue of Solidarity we reported on how the Colombian government was trying to break the month-long strike at Ecopetrol, the national oil company, using military force. The Uribe...

Korean general strike

The Korean Federation of Trade Unions organised a six-hour general strike on November 26 as part of its campaign against the government’s proposed anti-union laws. The KFTU announced that there were 156,000 union members and overall 600,000 participants in the general strike, including 42,200 from Hyundai Motors, 25,600 from Kia Motors, as well as metal, chemical, textile, transport and construction workers. Workers have been urging the government to withdraw a bill aimed at allowing companies to hire more temporary workers and ban strikes by civil servants.

Korean general strike

By Harry Glass Tens of thousands of Korean workers staged a one-day general strike on 12 November against the government's anti-working class policies. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said more than 150,000 of its members joined the one-day walkout - including more than 25,000 workers from the Hyundai Motor Company. Demonstrations took place in 20 cities across the country, despite the police banning street rallies. The walkouts came after police sought arrest warrants for 56 protestors suspected of throwing stones and firebombs at riot police during a rally on Sunday 9...

Workers of the world: Round up

By Pablo Velasco Israel: attacks on unions Korean unions defend migrant workers Salonika seven free, for now Israel: attacks on unions The Israeli government is preparing to dock the wages of workers taking industrial action, and introduce anti-union laws. Around 30,000 workers - half of those employed by the government - have been engaged in go-slows and strike action over the last six weeks. Workers are angry about plans to cut the budget and change pension arrangements and government pans for privatisation. The government's 2004 budget, which has to be approved by parliament by the end of...

Workers of the world: ROUND UP

South Korea: a summer of discontent Free Brazilian landless workers! General strike in Chile Support locked-out Indonesian workers Protests at WTO Cancun, Mexico South Korea: a summer of discontent Korea's two union umbrella organisations have agreed to step up their fight against the government's controversial five-day working week bill under discussion in the National Assembly (parliament). The independent Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the traditionally pro-government Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) say they will be holding more protests against the bill. Sit-ins...

Workers of the world: ROUND-UP

By Pablo Velasco Workers will stand in Korean election Appeal by Korean migrant workers union Crackdown in West Papua Workers will stand in Korean election South Korean workers are braced for another year of conflict with employers and the government - fighting on many fronts: for a five-day working week, higher wages, against anti-union laws and in support of migrant workers' rights. All of these struggles are set to escalate. In April elections to the National Assembly (parliament) will see workers' candidates hoping to make a breakthrough. At present, there are no workers' representatives...

Workers of the World: Round-up

by Pablo Velasco Oscar Olivera wins case Urgent appeal for Chinese workers' leaders P Diddy uses sweatshops Brazilian car workers walk out Korean workers' demonstrations Colombian Coca Cola worker visit Oscar Olivera wins case Bolivian workers' leader Oscar Olivera has won his fight against victimisation. Oscar is the secretary of the Federation of Factory Workers of Cochabamba, and works at the Manaco Footwear Company. He is a locally elected union leader who gets his regular salary and benefits from the company while performing full-time union work. He is also a leader of struggles against...

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