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PICIS
Policy and Information Center for International Solidarity
Newsletter
Monday, 19 January 1998
Editor's notice
Our organisation was established for joining in the international solidarity movement against neoliberalistic attacks by the transnational capital worldwide, as well as for the practical international solidarity movement among South Korean progressive forces. We aims at not only sharing policies and information with foreign progressive organisations but also 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.We will make a mailing list for a lively discussion, before it if anyone want to receive the newsletter, send us e-mail.(hanboss@mail.nownuri.net)
News on the Korean struggles
1. KCTU decided "to go on a general strike" and "to take part in the Three-Party Special Panel for Labor Relations(Three party means workers, employers, and government)"
On Janury 7-8, Central Committee of KCTU announced intensive struggle including general strike, and at the same time decided to join Three-Party Special for Labor Relations only if the discussion for the layoff is excluded. Hardline locals, such as NFC (National Fighting Committee of the Dismissed, the Prisoned, and the Wanted Workers for their Resumption) and Kwangju-Chonnam local of the FMWU(Federation of Metal Workers' Union), criticize joining into the panel which does not premise the punishment of the reponsible person for the economic crisis, fundamental reform including dismantling of jaebol conglomerates, and stability of employment. However, KCTU has a plan that they defend against mass layoff through the panel, keep organisation in arrangement internally, and obtain popular opinion for the intensive struggle.
2. Fight against imputing pain with strikes
During Janury 14th and 15th, union of the Korean Telecommunication voted for a strike against company's one-sided reform on the payment system with a favor of 85.3%. Many other unions are fighting against employers who would impute the pain of financial crisis to workers. Unions of Hyundai Motors(83.82% favored) and Hyundai Precision Machinery Industry(67.32% favored) decided on strike and the union of Mando Machinery went on a partial strike for 2 hours on 15th. There are being seen struggles of workers against layoff after IMF bailout.
3. Evaluation of campaign activity for a new start
After the presidential election, all of the Korean progressive forces think differnetly about the result of the campaign and the future directions for workers' independent politicization. In the People's Victory21, KCTU, NADRK(National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification of Korea), APP(Alliance for Progressive Politics), Political Solidarity give a different evaluations and prospects. KCTU and APP estimate the campaign well, for ,through election, progressive forces have coordinated activity, made nationwide organisation, and united politically, though the results was disappointing(300000 votes, 1.2%, compared to the former hope) But hardline organisation of PV21, Political Solidarity, which was composed of the Promoting Committee for the Workers' Progressive Party, the Solidarity for Workers' Politics, and the Progressive Union of Youth, criticise the campaign by PV21. They argue that PV21 put an people's candidate, not a workers' or oppressed people's candidate, so PV21 has a limitation on the workers' part. Because of this class limitation, the vote for Kwon was less than the number of KCTU's members(around 500000), they think. With regard to the prospect, KCTU and APP would construct progressive party on the basis of the campaign, but Political Solidarity and other left forces stresses struggle of the workers against the worsening living rights. NADRK, which have argued contradictory tactics-'change of political power(partial support on Kim Dae-jung)' and 'independent politicisation', demand the dismantling of PV21. Although the evaluation on the election activity, it will affect the directions of progressive forces.
4. Lawsuit campaign against "preferential layoff on female workers"
On January 15th, Promoting Headquarter for Equal Employment of the AKDW(Association of Korean Democratic Women) decided to go on a lawsuit campaign against the spreading prefential layoff on female workers. This means intensive struggle against the corporates which station women into an idle department or dismiss with an excuse of pregnancy and marriage. Mass layoff, which have been postponed as a result of last year's revision of labor law, is being carried out in the name of IMF bailout, and the female workers is a first target. Organised workers can fight against this through their unions, but workers of subcontract company, casual workers, immigrant workers, and female workers is being attacked now. Campaign against 'preferential layoff on female workers' is a struggle against not only sexually distinctive layoff but also exclusion by the capital.
Notice
1. PICIS has an journal which covers foreign movements. If you have a struggles you want to inform us or need solidarity struggle, send us.2. If you have comments or anything, contact us.
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