Korean labor movement

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

LabourStart - http://www.labourstart.org

We have received two urgent messages from the Korean Confederation of
Trade Unions in the last few hours detailing the most recent government
assaults on workers rights and the trade union movement.

Unbelievably, following the brutal attacks by riot police two weeks ago
against hotel and insurance strikers, attacks which were condemned by the
international trade union movement, they have done it again -- beating up
this time the leader of the KCTU himself and several others, 8 of whom
remain hospitalized.

Today the entire leadership of the Korean labour movement have taken the
dramatic step of shaving their heads -- this is the supreme gesture of
protest in Korean society, and reflects their determination to resist the
government's deliberate policy which, they now believe, is aimed at
nothing less than the destruction of the trade union movement in Korea.

There are links to both KCTU statements on the very top of LabourStart
today, as well as new documents and photographs on the website of the
Geneva-based IUF which is building support for the Korean hotel workers
globally.  In addition to text, the Korean web pages include a video of
their protests and numerous photos.

We'll keep you informed when and if there are specific calls for help.
Meanwhile, continue to use the special discussion forum we established on
LabourStart -- see the link on top of the news column -- to post messages of
solidarity and protest.  And please copy this message to other mailing lists
and newsgroups.

Eric Lee


Louis Proyect
Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org/