If I were the leader of a country intent on crushing an independent trade union movement, this would be a good time to do so. The outcry around the world will be limited. After all, it's August.
About ten days ago, the South Korean government issued arrest warrants for the leaders of the country's trade union movement. Among those named were the President, Vice President and General Secretary of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), as well as leaders of affiliated unions. The KCTU Vice President was arrested by police and she's now being held at the Youngdeungpo Police Station. The others are still at large. Police have encircled the union headquarters in Seoul.
The “crime” these trade union leaders are accused of committing is this: in early July, they called for a general strike. The South Korean government, in defiance of universally recognized human rights standards (including ILO conventions) has decided that this strike was illegal.
The KCTU has asked us all to take a moment and send off a strong message of protest to the South Korean government. LabourStart has launched a major new online campaign to do precisely that. Please go here now to send off your message:
http://www.labourstart.org/kctu
If you are on Facebook, sign also up the new Cause we've created, here:
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/107071
Time is of the essence and we need to mobilize thousands of our fellow trade unionists very quickly. I know that I can count on all of you. Thank you.
Eric Lee