Tuesday, December 17, 2013

South Korea: Rail Strike


Since June, the South Korean government has been pushing forward a new rail restructuring and privatisation programme despite widespread opposition. Faced with the government and Korea Railroad Corporation's (KORAIL's) flat out rejection of social dialogue, the Korean Railway Workers' Union (KRWU), an ITF affiliate, has declared it will go on strike beginning on December 9. Past actions by the Korean government and employer, however, have raised grave concerns that vast rights violations will occur once the strike is on. In 2009 the government and KORAIL used tactics such as criminal charges, imprisonments, suits for damages, dismissals and other disciplinary actions in retaliation against a similar KRWU strike. The ILO condemned these actions and urged legal and practical reforms in 2012 and made an urgent intervention again in October this year, but has so far received no response from the government. We need you to send a message to urge the government to engage in social dialogue on rail policy and respect railway workers' right to strike as recognized by international law.

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