Published by PICIS (Policy and Information Center for International Solidarity)
No. 3 (weekly)
Edited by Anna
February 2nd, Monday, 1998
PICIS was established for joining in the international solidarity movement against neoliberalistic attacks by the transnational capital worldwide, as well as for launching practical international solidarity movement among South Korean progressive forces.
We aim at not only sharing policies and information with foreign progressive organisations but also making practical supporting movement with workers' and peoples' struggles, who are suppressed and exploited.
This newsletter contains Korean progressive forces' activities, and through
this newsletter we want to contact and make solidarity with foreign activists
and make practical activity with all of you
website : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/~picis
e-mail : hanboss@nownuri.net, hanboss@mail.nownuri.net
address : PICIS, 1578-3, Woosung Bdg. 5F, Shilim1Dong, Kwanak-Ku, Seoul,
Korea
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the word 'subscribe picis' as the only text in the message)
A taxi worker committed suicide by fire against company's illegal measures
While Tripartite Commission and Labor Ministry are talking about stoppage of companys' illegal measures, a taxi worker committed suicide by fire protesting the company's illegal measures, in Ichon, Kyonggi Province.
On January 24th, Kwon Oh-yong, the leader of Ichon Taxi Workers' Union, was having sit-in-in-tent(In Korea it is common to have all-night sit-in in tent) with his unionists, when the staff broke in and dispersed them. He had a third degree burn and was brought to hospital, but is in a critical condition.
Since 2 am. January 24th, they had protested the company's interference on entering union and coercion of secession from union, as well as unpayment of overtime allowance and all-night-work allowance. The management mobilized staff and disturbed their setting up tents. Kwon tied himself with chain for fear of dispersion. Around 10 am. the management broke in again, took 2 unionists threatening with knife, and cut the chain tied to Kwon, when Kwon burnt himself.
But the exact reason of his committing suicide is unknown. Some unionists are raising questions about it. They argue Kwon did not burn himself, because the lighter was in his pocket. Moreover, when the accident happened, there were only Kwon and the company's commercial director in the tent. But Kwon cannot speak now, so the 'truth' is mistery.
The union have elected Jung Ho as deputy after the accident and has been continuing sit-in-tent. They demand following. The company should pay hospital fee and other expenses. The employer and commercial director of Samhwa Taxi Co. must be punished. The company must pay unpaid overtime and all-night-work allowances. The Labor Ministry must take special labor inspection on Ichon taxi companies.
Unification of three metal workers' federation, Democratic Metal Workers' Federation, Federation of Auto Workers' Union, Hyonchongyon(Confederation of Hyundai Motors' Union) is ongoing. They have 200,000 workers out of 550,000 KCTU's members. 'National Federation of Metal Workers' Industrial Unions', which will be established on February 15th, is the largest industrial federation and will be the basis of metal industrial union. Before KCTU's establishment, the three federation had discussed unification, but they have stood parted. In Korea, almost all of the unions have been divided each other in company-line union federations. It is still illegal to make industrial union organization in Korea. Metal workers' present attempt will be a cornerstone for an industrial union. But the construction has some limits. The rank and file were not subject of this unification and the difference among three organization will be the problem. For example, DMWF has been the most militant historically.
Dan Byong-ho, ex-leader of Junnohyop(the most militant union during 80's) and present leader of DNWF, is expected to be leader.
Radical workers based on the workplace and NFC(National Fighting Committee of the Dismissed, the Prisoned, and the Wanted Workers for their Resumption) are criticizing KCTU's entering Tripatite Commission. Because the KCTU's decision aims at negotiation with capitalist class, not struggling for stability of employment and workers' rights.
NCW(National Conference of Workplaces) composed of Kia Motors, Hyundai Motors, Halla Heavy Industry, Mando Machinery etc. and NFC are demanding secession from Tripartite Commission and general strike, making Joint Action Group for General Strike. They argued that KCTU's slogan 'protection of economic sovereignty' must be replaced with 'workers' rights' and 'confiscation of chaebols' property'. They also demand that KCTU's second leadership must be examined through struggle. Protest against World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum is being held in Davos, Swiss from Jan. 29th to Feb. 2rd. Leaders of world 1000 company, politicians, and journalists are joining WEF and Korean deputy such as Kim Woo-jung(owner of Daewoo) are also taking part in it. WEF is a kind of 'kartel of capitalists'. Free trade and free market system it represents is causing destruction of labor, human rights, and environment across the world. "PGA(People's Global Action against "Free Trade and WTO)", which is composed of 129 organizations around the world, is having signature-collecting campaign and protests. PICIS, SING(Social Information Networking Group), and KEY(Korean Ecological Youth) joined PGA and protested in front of Junkyongyon(Korean Employers' National Federation) today, announced declaration and took performance.
PICIS's Opinion
- Participating in worldwide opposition to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos (Read in the protest in front of Junkyongyon)
Throughout this week(29th January-3rd February) the World Economic Forum, the club of the foremost 1000 Transnational Corporations, is holding its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. During this period, hundreds of actions are taking place in many different parts of the world to denounce this event.
This meeting is, in the WEF's own words, "the world's global business summit", where "each year, major initiatives are launched... which go far beyond the pure business realm". At the Annual Meeting, "1000 top business leaders, 250 political leaders, 250 foremost academic experts in every domain, and some 250 media leaders come together to shape the global agenda." As they boast, "the WEF has played a leading role in the economic globalisation process... at the beginning of the eighties it played a major role in launching the Uruguay trade negociations. The foundation has made a contribution to the process and negociation of financial services liberalisation."
Especially the main issue of this annual meeting is 'the financial crisis of Eastern Asia including Korea'. So many representatives of Korean government and business, such as Yoo Jong-geun(advisor of DJ's next administration), Kim Woo-jung(owner of Daewoo group), and Park Woong-suh(advisor of Samsung group), are taking part in WEF's annual meeting. They are going to confirm their strong will in front of multinational capitalists, that is to drive neo-liberlistic policies more intensively and continuously in Korea. But present Korean economic, financial crisis cannot be resolved by drawing multinationals' and international speculative capital. It only means to 'pay debts by debts'. Korean crisis is due to subordinate economic structure and it has been deepened by liberalisation of capital market and the pressure of imperialistic countries' competition. Therefore it is impossible to solve present crisis, unless subordinative economic structure is transformed into new accumulation structure for people and unrestricted dormination of market and capital by chaebol is limited through dismantling chaebols' system.
Finally, the Korean representatives' participation in WEF only means that thay are accompanied by global neo-liberalistic attacks which deprive the living rights of world people as well as Korean people. That's why we denounce it. We oppose the accelerating centralisation of political and economic power caused by globalisation, and its gradual shift to unaccountable and undemocratic institutions, such as WTO. We denounce the role of "informal" business group(such as World Economic Forum) in this process, which only benefits multinational business elites, while increasing numbers of people going hungry, unable to afford basic health care and education, and forced to cope with environmental destruction.
This denunciation of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is the first coordinated activity of the PEOPLES' GLOBAL ACTION AGAINST "FREE" TRADE AND THE WTO. Korean Taskforce for International Solidarity(PICIS, SING, and KEY) will make solidarity movement positively with worldwide organizations such as PGA and Asian organization (People's Forum/People's Conference, groups against APEC).
1. PICIS has an journal which covers foreign movements. If you have a struggles you want to inform us or need solidarity struggle, send them to us.
2. If you have comments or anything, contact us.
3. If you support any struggle in Korea, send a message to us. We will translate it and publicise in Korean to the Korean workers.