URGENT APPEAL
A Call for International Solidarity for Korean Hospital Workers
of the Sung-Mo Hospital Union in Taejon, South Korea.
Issued by Korean Federation of Hospital Workers' Union
(KFHU)
Dear friends,
1. Korean Federation of Hospital Unions (KFHU) would like to express
solidarity with people in labor organizations and trade unions
around the world.
2. With a membership of 35,000 workers affiliated to 150 unions, KFHU
appeals urgently for solidarity on behalf of the Taejon Song-Mo
Hospital Union which has been suppressed by the hospital since the
general strike in December 1997. The Song-Mo - (St Mary's) -
Hospital has practiced unfair dismissal of workers; demanded that
workers take temporary retirement; and forced many union members to
resign from the union.
3. The general strike which was led by Korean Council of Trade
Unions (KCTU) with 500,000 its members from December 26 1996 to
February 28, 1997, was in fact a struggle by the nation against the
arbitrary amendment of the labor and national security laws. It was
a historical event showing that the Korean Labor Movement has the
initiative to take the lead in social reform. It was also a success -
the president of Korea, Kim Young Sam apologized to the people for
forcibly passing anti-labor laws; the government promised to
readjust the amendmed labor laws and also promised not to take any
retaliation against the participants or trade union leaders who were
involved in the strike.
4. Among 50 hospital unions affiliated to KFHU, which fully
participated in
the general strike, most of the hospitals did not discipline the
participants of the strike and paid workers their salary for the
duration of the strike period. The exception was Song-Mo hospital in
Taejon. In spite of the prior agreement between the Hospital and the
trade union, which stated that the hospital would not take any
retaliation against workers, it fired three leaders of trade union
including the president Lee Tae-yun; it forced the vice-president to
take a temporary suspension; it accused 18 members and officials of
interfering with the running of the hospital; it deducted part of the
salary of workers who participated in the strike; and through
surveillance and harrassment, the hospital disturbed all kind of
activities of workers - for example meetings in the union office,
publicity drives undertaken by the union, and harrassment of workers
coming in and out of the union office. The other serious violation
was the opression of the trade union by the Kusade - literally,
private gangs of thugs or anti-trade union persons among the employees
who are paid by management to break strikes or demonstrations. They
interfered with workers' activities at the trade union.
These actions to eliminate the workers union have been directed by
a catholic priest - namely the director of the Song-Mo hospital Fr
Yoon Ju-byung who presurised workers to withdraw from the union.
Because of this on-going suppression at the hospital, union membership
has decreased drastically from 400 to 58.
Furthermore, current situation is that the hospital is taking workers
aside persuading them to stop union activities of workers. Recently,
the director of the hospital warmed that if the remaing 58 of the
union members do not withdraw from the union by the end of November,
the hospital will take disciplinary measures against them without
negotiation between the union and hospital.
5. In January 7-8, 1997, the trade union of Song-Mo hospital staged a
partial strike in solidarity with the general strike. This protest
was led by union members on their day off. They had decided to staff
hospital wards and the outpatient service during 2 -day strike.
Consequently no patients were disadvantaged by the strike and the
hospital was able to continue its work.
6. The union at Song-Mo hospital in Taejon is a branch of the
catholic trade union which is composed of 8 branches covering
workers in catholic hospitals, which are under the juristiction of
Catholic Bishops. The Catholic trade union is a unique organization
which coordinated the negotiation and related strike as a central
organization. The other 7 branches that joined the strike did not
suffer disadvantages after the strike.
In response to the workers situation at the Song-Mo hospital, the
central office of the catholic trade union has organized a solidarity
campaign with union members in Song-Mo hospital. Currently, the Song
Mo hospital is violating the rights of union members once again. Both
the local labor department and Central Labor Committee have judged the
actions to constitute unfair labor practice and the case has been
referred to the prosecutor.
7. On the other hand, in the investigating process, 'Choong Nam
Provincial Labour Committee' while acknowledging that there were
problems in the process judged that the issue was not covered by the
law on unfair dismissals and so rejected the case. It is currently
being reexamined once more by Central Labour Committee.
In the civil suit filed by the union against the validity of the
dismissals, the committee completely ignored and rejected the
customary process for 'request for witness' or the 'request delay'.
Furthermore, the public prosecutors office dismissed the charge by the
labor committee of hospital's unfair labor practice. Currently, it is
moored by a high court of justice. On the other hand the prosecution
accepted the hospital's case about the 18 union members obstructing
hospital work. Relatively heavy sentances were imposed on the
workers. 5 workers were prosecuted and a penalty of 1 million won (US$
1,000) was imposed on 10 workers. In the cross questioning process,
the public attorney, (Chae Jin-kyu in Taejon district), openly
suggested that the union members should withdraw from the union in a
blatantly one-sided partial investigation.
8. Against a background of such feudalistic and inhuman actions by
Taejon Catholic Hospital (Director catholic priest Fr Yoon Joo-Byung),
Catholic Human-Rights Committee suggested the formation of an
investigation committee with the purpose of coming to a deeper
understanding of the situation as it was becoming very serious.
However, the hospital has not only rejected this suggestion, but has
also completely ignored the committee itself.
"Minbyunhyup" - Lawyer's Organization for a Democratic Society - has
formed 'the committee for collaboration investigation' with 15
lawyers to challenge the abuse of Ministry of Justice. Also, in the
parliamentary inspection of the administration held in October the
administration process of Ministry of Labour, Labour committee,
Supreme Public Procurator's office and Police Bureau were strongly
urged to look into the case. Nevertheless, the relevant government
departments have not shown any signs of changing their attitudes. In
other words, the following requests made by the workers have not yet
been acted on as of now.
1) A demand for Special Investigation by Ministry of Labour on the
issues of unfair dismissal, forced retirement of union members, forced
resignations from the union and physical abuse.
2) Cessation of the abuse of civil rights in terms of harrassing labor
union assembly.
3) The dismissal of the chief-executive of Choong Nam Provincial
Labour Committee. 4) Withdrawl of the the biased and partial sentence
pronounced by Taejon Supreme Public Procurator's office.
9. As a response to the on-going suppression, KFHU in March 1997 set
up "Committee to Fight Labour Oppression and to Reinstate the
dismissed workers". The Committee has staged a sit-in in the
hospital yard, has organized a campaign against the hospital director
and organized demonstrations in front of the hospital over the past 9
months. KFHU will fight and organize a solidarity campaign until
the dispute is settled without any unfair results for workers. Now
KFHU has started a regular demonstration on every Thursday in front of
hospital. Also unions affiliated with KFHU have organized solidarity
actions that include producing a special document on the ongoing
situation; sending out protest letters; raising a solidarity fund; and
organizing a signature campaign.
In KFHU, we believe that the violation of rights by Song-Mo Hospital
in Taejon and its reaction have lacked common sense resulting in
significant drop in the credibility of Taejon Catholic Church and the
attendance of persons there.
If the situation is not settled in the near future, we will visit
Vatican and reveal the problems of the on going violation of rights
and suppression by two clerics namely bishop Kyung Kab-ryung who as
bishop is ultimately resposnsible for Fr Yoon Joo-byung, the director
at the hospital. 10. We appeal once more to your organization for
consistent support for and interest in our ongoing struggle in this
case as well as our camapaign for other dismissed workers. We request
kindly that you write a solidarity letter to the union and protest
letters to the following
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Yoon, Joo Byung, The director of Song-Mo hospital,
Address: Taejon City, Joon-gu, Eaeheung-dong 520-2
St, Mary's Hospital director. South Korea.
Tel : 82-042-220-9800
Fax : 82-042-252-6807
Bishop Kyung, Kab-ryung, Catholic Bishop of Taejon,.
Address: Taejon City, Daedeok-gu, Yongjen-dong, 15-1. South Korea.
Tel : 82-42-631-0591 Fax : 82-42-622-4670
Kim, Soo Hwan, Cardinal of Korean Catholic Church.
Address : Seoul City, Joong-Ku, Myungdong 2Ka 1 Diocese of Seoul,
Korea. Tel : 82-2-771-7600 Fax : 82-2-773-1947
Lee, Ki-ho, Minister of Labour Department.
Address : Kyungki-Do, Kwachon-Si, 1st Goverment Bldg., South Korea.
Tel : 82-2-503-9700 Fax : 82-2-504-6708
Kim, Young Sam, President of South Korea.
Add: Seoul City, Jonglo-Ku, Sejonglo-1, Blue House. South Korea.
Fax: 82-2-730-5800
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*** Please send a copy of protest letter to KFHU.
Tel: 82-2-771-1750-4
Fax: 82-2 -771-1755
For the unity and solidarity of the workers around the world and for
the
betterment of society as a whole, we will keep going forward.
Thanking you very much - Park Mun-jin, President of KFHU.