Labor Unions Declare "General Strike at the End of May"... Fight Against Labor Oppression Announced

Democratic Labor Union Declares Transition to Struggle Headquarters

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU) under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) announced an all-out struggle on the 1st to resist labor oppression.

On this day, the Metal Workers' Union held a 'Struggle Headquarters Launch and Struggle Declaration Ceremony' in front of Samgakji Station in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Yoon Jang-hyuk, chairman of the Metal Workers' Union, condemned, "The reality of the Yoon administration's labor reform is to make people work more, pay less, make layoffs easier, and tie the hands and feet of unions."

Chairman Yoon said, "We will hold a general strike at the end of May to confront the Yoon administration," adding, "This is a determination to block labor reform and protect the survival rights of workers and the public."

The Metal Workers' Union cited the government's labor reform direction, the government's response to the Cargo Solidarity strike, the Ministry of Employment and Labor's audit of union accounts, investigations into the Construction Union, and the National Intelligence Service's search and seizure of the KCTU as examples of labor oppression.

The KCTU, the upper organization of the Metal Workers' Union, also held a rally in front of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Jung-gu in the afternoon. Union members held placards with phrases like 'Heating bill bomb' and 'Transportation cost bomb' and bomb models, shouting slogans such as 'Introduce a safe freight system,' 'Stop oppression of the Construction Union,' and 'Raise taxes on conglomerates.'

About 5,000 union members who participated in the two rallies gathered at the Sungnyemun Intersection for a joint rally.

Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the KCTU, said, "Workers are suffering and worried about heating and electricity bill bombs, while conglomerates are getting tax cuts," adding, "Is it reasonable for those who freeze wages to curb inflation to raise gas and electricity rates by 30%?"

The KCTU plans to hold a mass rally on Labor Day (May 1) and launch a general strike struggle in July.