Gwangju Education Public Workers Begin General Strike... "Abolish Discrimination Against Non-Regular Workers"

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Provides Alternative Meals at 130 out of 257 Schools
"Responding to Ensure No Infringement on Students' Learning Rights or Inconvenience"

The Gwangju Branch of the National Education Public Officials Union held a rally in front of the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education at 10 a.m. on the 6th, urging the elimination of discrimination against education public officials. Photo by Song Bohyun

Education public officials in the Gwangju area have come forward demanding the abolition of discrimination against non-regular workers and wage negotiations occurring on the ground. Due to this strike, it has been confirmed that 130 out of 257 schools in Gwangju (including national and public elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as single-establishment kindergartens), accounting for 50.6%, are operating with substitute meals. In response, the City Office of Education stated that they will minimize inconvenience to parents and ensure that students' right to learn is not infringed upon.

The Gwangju branch of the National Education Public Officials Union held a rally in front of the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education at 10 a.m. on the 6th.

Cho Hyunjin, head of the Gwangju branch of the Education Public Officials Union, said, "We went on strike to create a world without non-regular workers," adding, "We decided to strike because we could not find a consensus in collective wage negotiations held since June with the Ministry of Education and 17 metropolitan and provincial offices of education."

The Gwangju branch is demanding normalization of base pay, resolution of wage gap issues, application of uniform standards for welfare allowances, proper recognition of the job value of school non-regular workers, and reform of the wage system for school non-regular workers.

Through their resolution statement, the Education Public Officials Union Gwangju branch emphasized, "We are all essential educational welfare workers who cannot be absent from schools. If anyone stops, neither schools nor public education can function normally."

They continued, "We gathered because of the narrow-minded perception toward non-regular workers who receive base pay below minimum wage, face widening gaps with regular workers the longer they work, have job values nowhere to be found in wage items, and are discriminated against even in basic welfare benefits."

They also pointed out, "When we demanded responsible measures to resolve issues related to education public officials, the Ministry of Education responded by arresting union representatives."

They concluded, "We, the educational welfare workers, will fight to claim job value, for the complete withdrawal of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, and to create a better society."

The Gwangju Branch of the National Education Public Officials Union held a rally in front of the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education at 10 a.m. on the 6th, waving signs that read "Let's Win the Wage Negotiations." Photo by Song Bohyun

On the day of the general strike resolution rally, 868 out of 5,157 education public officials in the Gwangju area (16.9%) participated.

Due to the strike, the education authorities judged that normal meals were difficult to provide in 130 out of 257 schools (including national and public elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as single-establishment kindergartens), accounting for 50.6%, and replaced meals with bread, milk, rice cakes, and fruit. It was confirmed that 74 private schools that did not participate in the strike were providing regular meals.

Among 153 elementary after-school care classrooms, 13 participated in the strike, but it was understood that there was no disruption in operation as schools integrated internally and vice principals took direct action.

Han Hyunsuk, head of the Labor Policy Division at the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "We are responding to minimize inconvenience to parents regarding meals and Neulbom elementary after-school care and to ensure that students' right to learn is not infringed," adding, "We will respond promptly so that wage negotiations can be resolved smoothly."