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PICIS
Policy and Information Center for International Solidarity

Monday, 9 February 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)

SPECIAL!!
Agreement of the Tripartite Commission and Rejection from Below

CONTENTS OF THE AGREEMENT

On Feb. 6, Tripartite Commission, which is composed of government, management, and labor, agreed on 'the plan for employment bill'. The plan contains erasure of 2-year postponement on layoff(this was forced by '96-'97 general strike) and allowance of layoff in case of M&A.

Highlights of the agreement are followings.

Public servants are allowed to form a labor consultative body from 1999. Teachers can form a trade union in July, 1999.
Political activity of trade union is permitted in the first half of this year.
Labor laws will be revised to permit layoffs this month.
Worker dispatch system(use of alternative manpower) is confined to highly specialized professions.
The government must establish a 5-trillion-won(about 3 billion US$) 'unemployment fund.'

Main Conditions for Layoffs

There should be urgent need, or merger and acquisition of businesses.
Employers must make every effort to avoid layoffs.
Employers must select those to be dismissed based on a fair standard. Sexual discrimination in dismissals is banned.
Employers must notify workers of their dismissal plan 60 days in advance.
Employers must make efforts to re-employ laid-off workers.

Unsolved Issues:

Payment of wage for union fulltimer.
Corporates' management transparency.
Democratic industry relations.

OPINIONS ON THE AGREEMENT OF EACH ORGANISATION

KCTU(Korean Confederation of Trade Union, second largest labor organisation of militant unions) : As for the rank and file, it is insufficient, but we tried our best. We achieved many things, such as legalization of Teachers' Union, permission of union's political activity, contruction of committee for the shortening of working time, release of the prisoned, and the prevention of company's illegal anti-labor measures. The grassroot unionists would regret the item on M&A, but we will have to do our best with more strict conditions for layoffs.

FKTU(Federation of Korean Trade Union, largest labor organisation of yellow unions) : We agreed on burden-sharing believing next regime's promise that they would inspect the cause of present economic crisis and bring reforms on chaebol and politics. We are not satified with this, but as for the layoff, it was inevitable in situation of 'national moratorium crisis'. We will strengthen organisational activity for the observance of agreed items and will cope with mass layoffs and illegal anti-labor measures.

Teachers' Union(illegal union at present) : We welcome the agreement, it not being enough that the permission on union is delayed for one and a half year. Moreover, it is a historic event like change of political power that we made rational industrial relation through agreement among labor, management, and government.

NADRK(National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification of Korea, one of the biggest political groups. Its strategy is for National Liberation.) : We welcome the agreement, for it made solution for the crisis through three parties' concession. Legalization of employment settlement will make large number of jobless people and it will threaten social unification. The government and employers should try to evade unemployment through shortening of working time.

People's Victory 21(joint political group including KCTU, NADRK, and so on.) : The agreement opens a possibility for solution to present crisis, but innocent workers is being forced one-sided sacrifice. The government should immediately make special law for union's engagement in management, complete reform on chaebols' ownership and management structure, and shortening of legal working time.

Political Solidarity(somewhat radical and militant group) : We are surprised and denounce the agreement. Saying equal pain-sharing, the Commission adopted layoff and worker dispatch system, which are an 'employment destruction strategy' ignoring workers' and people's basic rights. Leadership of KCTU forgot their 'opposition to layoff and worker dispatch system' and 'intensive struggle including general strike', and decided their agreement indemocratically.

PROMPT REPORT : TEMPORARY REPRESENTATIVE MEETING REJECTED THE AGREEMENT AND DECIDED GENERAL STRIKE

From 3 pm. Feb. 2 to 3 am. 9th, the temporary representative meeting of KCTU held. The representives rejected the agreement of Tripartite Commission and decided general strike against layoff bill. After the announcement of agreement, a lot of local and affiliated unions declared "The decision on agreement to layoff bill is anti-labor one of leadership, so all of them must resign from their positions." Furthermore, there were heard voices saying "Let's make another union federation." The decision by this meeting is reflecting present situation. The representatives drove out vicarious president Pae Suck-bum, who resigned by himself, and put off leadership election infinitely. And KCTU constructed emergency committee and elected Dan Byoung-ho, president of Democratic Metal Workers' Federation, as chairman. They decided also followings. "1. We should demand re-negotiation on the basis of opposition to layoff. 2. If our demand would be rejected, we will not participate in the Commission. 3. If the layoff bill is passed unilaterally on Feb. 14, KCTU will arrange general strike immediately. 4. The schedule and method of struggle is entrusted to the emergency committee."

Notice

1. PICIS has a 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.