The Korean government has given the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) until 23 October to amend its by-laws to ban dismissed and retired teachers from union membership — or face deregistration. Currently, the KTU’s constitution allows dismissed workers to remain members of the union. However, the Trade Union and Labour Relations Adjustment Act contains provisions prohibiting dismissed and unemployed workers from keeping their membership and making non-union members ineligible to stand for trade union office, in violation of international labour law. Recently, the Ministry of Employment and Labour refused, for the fourth time, to register the Korean Government Employees Union for the same reason. The International Labour Organization and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea have repeatedly criticized these exclusions, and recommended the government amend its legislation in order to comply with international labour standards.

The Letter

Dear President Park Geun-hye,

I strongly condemn the ultimatum sent by your government to the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) threatening to deregister the teacher union by 23 October 2013 if it does not amend its by-laws to ban dismissed and retired teachers from their union membership. I also condemn your government’s refusal to register the Korean Government Employees Union (KGEU) for the same reason. I urge you to maintain the KTU registration and to legalise KGEU without delay. I also request your government to put its legislation in line with international labour standards.

To sign: http://www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=1995&src=ubmm