By Eva Cheng
Two days after the close of the May 12-16 rolling general strike led by hospital and metalworkers, the South Korean government issued arrest warrants for many union leaders, including those who led the nine-day subway workers' general strike in April. There are now 86 "wanted" unionists and 17 more in jail.
The strikes sought to defend jobs and resist cuts in wages and conditions. Their leaders are charged with "obstructing business".
The striking unions were led by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, despite many KCTU cadres being immobilised by threatened and actual arrest. Most KCTU leaders are stuck in the Myongdong Cathedral in Seoul, traditionally a sanctuary for progressive activists.
KCTU president Lee Kap-yong has threatened to launch a new round of strikes, possibly around June 12, unless the government provocation subsides. On May 15, the KCTU announced a temporary halt to the general strikes to make way for talks with the bosses and government, the latter having informally asked for negotiations.
About 12,200 workers from 34 hospitals were to take part in the May strikes but some called off their actions after last minute offers of concessions or negotiation from management. The KCTU claimed the concessions — which included management agreement to a minimal level of staffing to maintain service quality, a cap on job intensity, and improved wages and conditions — as a victory.
Nearly 17,000 workers in 21 unions of the Korean Metal Workers Federation (KMWF) downed tools for the four-day strike, according to the KCTU. Some 15,000 workers and supporters flooded the streets of Seoul on May 14 and 15 for a 5-kilometre march in solidarity. About 10,000 were KMWF unionists from all over South Korea. For those few days, they lived in tents to emulate their numerous jobless brothers and sisters.
The police tried to force marchers into one traffic lane, leading to tense scuffles. In protest, workers lay on the streets, disrupting traffic for hours.
The Korean Herald reported that 500 students hurled rocks and clashed with riot police for an hour in a busy intersection between the Seoul Railway Station and Myongdong Cathedral, after which 42 protesters were hauled away (48 according to the KCTU), three were put on the wanted list, 21 were booked and 16 were charged with violating the laws on assembly.
As part of the second-wave actions, the KCTU reported sit-ins by members of the taxi workers' union and a strike by life insurance workers in three unions.
Workers at Samwhan Corporation are continuing their strike, which has been going for more than 60 days, to resist job cuts. Samwhan is one of the largest and most profitable construction companies in South Korea and even the Ministry of Labour declared the planned layoffs unjustified.
Meanwhile, the government is training around 250 soldiers to drive trains, apparently in preparation to sack subway drivers en masse. After the subway workers' strikes last month, arrest warrants were issued against 66 unionists, 12 were held in detention and 256 were subjected to various legal charges initiated by management.
The subway management has also put 4566 workers under intimidating job reviews and picked out 4059 for possible disciplinary sanctions. One hundred and forty-four of them were suspended and 43 sacked.
A 3000-strong meeting of the Seoul Subway Workers Union on May 7 resolved to resume strike action on May 14 in protest. This action was temporarily called off to make way for negotiations initiated by management.
Visit the KCTU web site at .