Members of the unauthorized Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU staged a four-hour strike yesterday, but the effect was minimal as most public-sector unions operated normally. The strike, which took effect from 1 p.m. till 5 p.m., came about as ruling and opposition parties were engaged in last-minute negotiations at the parliament over revising the controversial new labor law.
It was the fourth-phase collective action by the KCTU, which spearheaded three weeks of nationwide strikes following the ruling party's railroading of the labor law late December. The organization warned that things could get worse unless the political circles accepted their demands in rewriting the labor law.
The KCTU called for the abolition of clauses that would enable employers to lay off workers more easily and replace striking workers with nonstriking workers. Other demands included the legalization of "Chongyojo,'' or the National Teachers' Labor Union. Cadre members of the organization also called for changes in the government's chaebol (conglomerates-oriented economic policies.
KCTU chairman Kwon Young-gil said, "The Hanbo scandal exemplified corruption that is deeply rooted in the society between political circles and business. "The main objectives of the strike is to insure that the Hanbo scandal is thoroughly investigated and those involved are punished according to the law.''
During the four-hour strike, participating unionists held rallies in major cities, including one held at Chongmyo Park in central Seoul. A KCTU spokesman said about 170,000 of its estimated half-million members walked off the job yesterday. The participating workers included those from the giant Hyundai Group. However, most members of public-sector unions such as subways and hospitals worked normally, minimizing the inconvenience to citizens.
The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU, which is larger of two has yet to announce strike plans.