Solidarity letter from Canadian postal workers
On behalf of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, I am writing with
regard to the strike by the public utility unions who are demanding an
end to privatization and poor working conditions.
March 6, 2002.
BY FAX
(82-2-770-0347 ��� 82-2-770-0001)
Mr. Kim Dae Jung
President
Republic of Korea
1, Sejong-no, Jongno-ku
Seoul, Republic of Korea
110-820
Dear Mr. President:
On behalf of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, I am writing with
regard to the strike by the public utility unions who are demanding an end to privatization and poor working conditions.
We understand that tension has been rising and there have been declarations to punish workers. This is completely unacceptable. Workers should not be attacked for merely seeking to protect public property and obtain respectable working conditions. Further, authorities have shut down a union website and are making ongoing attempts to suppress dialogue and communication by workers and their representatives.
We condemn all violent repressive acts and attempts to demoralize or defeat the strikers. Such a practice is not reflective of negotiation, dialogue and free collective bargaining. It resembles more corporate totalitarianism.
Privatization does not result in cheaper costs or greater access. Over and over, we see privatization and deregulation result in profiteering by a few at the expense of everyone else. It is really a perverse way of selling off community assets and giving them to the wealthy in the name of progress.
Arbitrary arrests of trade union leaders and firing workers only expose the desperate and cowardly attempts used to protect private corporations.
. . . . 2
- 2 -
Our organization will watch with interest how the authorities proceed. We call upon you to respect the rights and dignity of all workers in Korea and cease pandering to the elites and choosing repression as an antidote.
Sincerely,
Dale Clark,
National President.
c.c.: Ministry of Labour, Republic of Korea (82-2-504-6708)
Ministry of Construction and Transportation, Republic of Korea
(82-2-2110-9001-3)
Mr. Lee Man Sup, Speaker of the National Assembly, Republic of
Korea (82-2-784-0911-3)
Hon. Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon. Svend Robinson, NDP
Embassy of Korea (Ottawa) (244-5043)
Canadian Labour Congress
National Executive Board
Regional Executive Committees
National Union Representatives
Specialists
2002 / -0 / 3-
|
