KCTU to Proceed with General Strike on 25th... "Fighting While Complying with Strengthened Quarantine Guidelines"

KCTU Plans General Strike and Nationwide Simultaneous Rallies on the 25th
Held According to Local Government Standards... Under 10 Participants in Seoul

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has decided to proceed with the general strike and nationwide simultaneous rallies scheduled for tomorrow (the 25th). Due to the elevation of social distancing to Level 2 in the Seoul metropolitan area, the events in Seoul will be held on a small scale, but concerns remain high that this could ignite the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

On the morning of the 24th, one day before the general strike, the KCTU held a press conference and announced that the nationwide simultaneous general strike and rallies on the 25th will proceed as planned. The KCTU has defined the government’s labor law amendment bill submitted to the National Assembly as a labor regression and set the goal of this strike to block it.

The specific demands presented by the KCTU are ▲ immediate suspension of parliamentary discussions on labor regression ▲ prompt legislation of the 'Jeon Tae-il 3 Laws' including the Serious Accidents Punishment Act ▲ expansion of the scope and number of essential workers and jobs ▲ full implementation of staggered commuting hours and adjustment of commuting personnel with paid leave for off-duty personnel ▲ implementation of paid remote work, among others.

The government has submitted to the National Assembly a labor law amendment bill reflecting the content of the International Labour Organization (ILO) core conventions ratification proposal. This amendment includes expanding freedom of association by allowing unemployed and dismissed workers to join unions, but it also reflects management’s demands such as prohibiting workplace occupation during strikes, which has caused opposition from labor groups.

The KCTU stated, "The government is pushing through labor regression unrelated to the ratification of the ILO core conventions as an excuse," and added, "We will engage in a general strike and all-out struggle to protect the labor unions that support the lives of 1 million union members, 25 million workers, and all citizens."

They continued, "The National Assembly should immediately ratify the ILO core conventions" and "During the one-year period before the ratification takes effect, the voices of the parties involved should be heard and domestic related laws should be amended to meet international standards in accordance with the core intent of the ILO conventions."

The KCTU conducted general strikes in March and July last year. This year’s strike is the first. It is known that the KCTU plans to continue struggles on the 29th-30th of this month and December 2nd-3rd starting with this general strike. The rallies scheduled to be held across the country will have flexible sizes and scopes depending on the quarantine guidelines of the local governments in charge. Originally, the KCTU planned to hold a rally centered on union officials and strike participants in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the day of the general strike. However, since Seoul city banned all gatherings of 10 or more people throughout Seoul the day before, the KCTU decided to hold sporadic rallies with fewer than 10 people at the Democratic Party offices in each district. A KCTU official said, "We need to further assess the number of participants and the scale."

Furthermore, the KCTU plans to hold the rallies while complying with quarantine measures such as temperature checks, mask-wearing, and social distancing under the control of health authorities. However, Seoul city urged the KCTU again on the same day as the previous day to refrain from holding rallies. The police have also set a policy to respond strictly in principle if violations occur. Jang Ha-yeon, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said at a press briefing the day before, "We will take strict measures if the Assembly and Demonstration Act and quarantine standards are violated."