Labor group stages first major strike to demand quick government payback

By Park Sae-jin Posted : June 30, 2017, 17:15 Updated : June 30, 2017, 17:19

[Photo by Namgung Jin-ung = timeid@ajunews.com]


Tens of thousands of striking workers demonstrated in central Seoul, demanding a quick payback from South Korean President Moon Jae-in in return for supporting his election victory.

They occupied a plaza, not far away from the presidential Blue House, for a noisy rally led by more than 15,000 contract-based caregivers, cleaners, cafeteria staffs and other temporary workers who walked off their jobs at thousands of schools. The plaza has been the site of anti-government candle-lit protests against ex-president Park Geun-hye who was finally expelled and jailed for her alleged role in a corruption scandal involving her crony.

It was the first general strike sponsored by the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the two umbrella labor groups which portrayed themselves as crucial contributors to Moon's election victory on May 9. They want an early government payback, rejecting the liberal leader's courteous demand to give time.

Many temporary workers wearing pink jackets and hats shouted slogans such as "We want quick steps" and demanded job insecurity and equal treatment. They said schools have about half of 750,000 temporary workers in the public sector.

Moon has promised to gradually raise the hourly minimum wage to 10,000 won (8.73 US dollars) per hour by 2020. As his first step, he abolished a performance-based incentive wage system which was pushed by Park to introduce labor market flexibility in the public sector.

Labor unions urged the government to push for speedy labor reforms, put temporary or contract workers on the permanent payroll, cut working hours and raise the ceiling of minimum wages to 10,000 won right now. State data showed there are 6.3 million temporary workers including part-timers who get paid 54 percent of full-time workers.

Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com

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