9 May, 2009The International Metalworkers´ Federation is calling on the Korean government to end labour rights abuses in Korea and bring the country´s labour laws in line with core labour standards so that all workers enjoy the rights to freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.
In recent years attacks against trade unions in Korea have increased, in terms of the number of arrests of labour leaders and in severity of prison sentences. There has also been a marked increase in cases of physical violence carried out by police against workers on strike or participating in demonstrations.
The laws in Korea are used by the government and employers to routinely:
- Jail trade unionists for exercising their rights
- Stop subcontracted workers from joining a union or bargaining collectively
- Prevent many public sector workers from joining a union or bargaining collectively
The International Metalworkers´ Federation, together with other Global Union Federations and the International Trade Union Confederation, is calling on the Korean government to honour its commitments and respect internationally recognized labour standards so that all workers enjoy the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.