"Students' Right to Learn Comes First" Jeonnam Office of Education Launches Emergency Response to School Irregular Workers' General Strike

Emergency Response Teams Formed... Minimizing Gaps in Meal Services and After-School Care
Respecting Labor Rights vs. Protecting the Right to Learn, "Urging Withdrawal of the Strike"

The Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education announced on November 19 that it has activated an emergency response system to minimize disruption to students’ right to learn and inconvenience to parents, in light of the nationwide school irregular workers’ union’s planned general strike on November 21.

The provincial office has set up strike response situation rooms at its main office and all regional education support offices, and has formed an emergency response team to swiftly address key issues at schools. Schools have been provided with a “Strike Response Manual for Education Support Staff” and instructed to make necessary preparations in advance.

Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education Building Exterior

Tailored measures for each school have also been put in place. Depending on the number of staff participating in the strike, schools will implement shortened classes or alternative meal services (such as pre-packaged bread, milk, and simple meals). In unavoidable cases, parents will be advised to provide packed lunches to minimize nutritional deficiencies for students.

Elementary after-school care classes will utilize internal staff to prevent service gaps, and special education will reduce inconvenience for students and parents through school-specific measures and shortened classes. In addition, the situation rooms at the provincial and regional offices will respond promptly to key issues such as school administration and health services.

A representative from the provincial office stated, “While we respect workers’ right to strike, students’ right to learn and their safety must not become casualties of labor-management conflict,” and earnestly urged the union to withdraw its strike plans.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Education and the 17 provincial and metropolitan education offices announced that they will engage in sincere negotiations regarding the union’s demands for improved working conditions.