A Report on the Struggles of Korean Workers: Struggles Against Privatisation of Railway, Electricity and Gas
Workers of the world!
Please send solidarity to our demand "stop restructuring and privatisation of the public sector, which will only reinforce domination of capital!"
Tell the Korean government to "dialogue with the union and stop the destructive privatisation plans!". Tell the IMF to "stop intervention into the Korean economy and stop pressuring privatisation!". Protest against the government and international financial organisations that deny these democratic and social demands!
Source : Policy & Information Center for International Solidarity
By The Korean Federation of Transportation, Public & Social Services Workers’ Unions(KPSU)
* The Korean government promoted economic policies in accordance with the Structural Adjustment Programs that the IMF enforced, in exchange for a 'rescue package' just after the economic crisis.
* In implementing IMF's program during the last four years, the Korean government has privatised major national corporations such as POSCO, Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation, Daehan Oil Pipeline, Korea Heavy Industries & Construction and Korea Chemical Corporation, while privatising individual business parts by separating and outsourcing.
* The government has also cut down the government and public sector workforce by 140,000, while deteriorating wages and working conditions.
* Privatisation policies of national corporations are now in a critical situation. The government plans to finish off separations for privatisation of the railway and gas, and the sell off of electricity generation plants.
* The privatisation policies and commercialisation strategies that were promoted after the economic crisis, are now developing into privatisation of the entire sector.
* However, trade unions are concerned not only with the downsizing and deterioration of working conditions that will result from privatisation, but also with the fact that railway, gas and electricity are core industries of the country. The unions have also warned about social dangers which privatisation of essential public services will bring.
* The unions have proposed that a 'social consensus' be made between the government, unions and civil organisations to terminate privatisation plans and improve the quality of service through inner reformations. However, concerned only with pushing ahead with its plans, the government has ignored all propositions.
* The trade unions of railway, electricity and gas formed the 'Common Struggle Headquarters Against Privatisation of Core National Industries' on 31st October last year, deciding to fight together against privatisation of core national industries and essential public services. Workers have been holding massive rallies to demand the cancellation of privatisation plans, while promising to go on an all-out strike if the government does not answer to the demands of the unions.
* The scheduled date of the big struggle is 25th February. The government has ignored our demands, and the unions will go forth with the scheduled struggle to pervade our just demands.
* A conflict between the government that promotes privatisation and the unions which are against it, is now inevitable. The unions will struggle to protect our working conditions and to protect our workplaces that have contributed to the social integration and democracy through the provision of essential public services.
* We are certain that this conflict is the 'shade of globalisation' brought on by the intentions of international financial capital to dominate the Korean economy, in its pursue of profits through neo-liberal commercialisation strategies.
* We ask for the support and solidarity from all our working brothers and sisters worldwide who are fighting against neo-liberal globalisation and domination of international financial capital that threaten peace and wellbeing of our world.
2002 / -0 / 2-
|
