Since June, the South Korean government has been pushing forward a new rail restructuring and privatisation programme despite widespread opposition. Faced with the government and Korea Railroad Corporation’s (KORAIL’s) flat out rejection of social dialogue, the Korean Railway Workers’ Union (KRWU), an ITF affiliate, has declared it will go on strike beginning on December 9.

Past actions by the Korean government and employer, however, have raised grave concerns that vast rights violations will occur once the strike is on. In 2009 the government and KORAIL used tactics such as criminal charges, imprisonments, suits for damages, dismissals and other disciplinary actions in retaliation against a similar KRWU strike. The ILO condemned these actions and urged legal and practical reforms in 2012 and made an urgent intervention again in October this year, but has so far received no response from the government. We need you to send a message to urge the government to engage in social dialogue on rail policy and respect railway workers’ right to strike as recognized by international law.

You can help! Type in your name and email address, then click on ’Send Message’ on the bottom of this page:
http://www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=2072

The Letter

In 2009, the Korean government and the state-owned railway company KORAIL resorted to the use of anti-union tactics such as criminal charges, imprisonments, suits for damages, dismissals and other disciplinary actions against a strike by the Korean Railway Workers’ Union (KRWU). The ILO categorically condemned these violations and issued recommendations including legal and practical reforms, which the government failed to respect.

Now, we are concerned that the government and employer will once again resort to such tactics in response to an upcoming rail strike. We call on the government and employer to refrain from using tactics that contravene international standards and Korean law in response to the upcoming rail strike. We also call on the government and employer to make full redress for the labour rights violations that occurred during previous rail strikes and open dialogue on rail policy with the KRWU and other social partners.

Signed...