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8 July 2008

Solidarity Campaign South Korea: Support the Branch of the Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union, KFCITU - ACT NOW!

Take two minutes to sign our solidarity campaign to support the Branch of the Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union, KFCITU in South Korea. POSCO, a major steel production company in the country, launched a systematic campaign to break the union since the strike in 2006 by forcing union members to quit if they want to work and limiting access of union officials entering sites to address members issues. Members are still in jail. We cannot tolerate that POSCO has used its political and economic clout in Pohang, where the company controls at least 70% of the economy to implement a deliberate and strategic plan to break the union through various tactics. We call upon you to participate and forward this message to your fellow union members and co-workers. It is very important that you involve people in your union, in your workplace, who haven't yet had the satisfaction of sending off a message.

As you may recall, the BWI launched a solidarity campaign in 2006 - the strike resulted in the arrest of close to 100 union members. With the exception of Lee Ji Kyung, former President of the local union, all seven are expected to be released in July 2008. In addition, close to 200 members were injured in the various industrial actions that took place during the strike. Even though nearly two years have passed since Ha Joong Keun's death, the government has failed to take full official responsibility. For more information see here.

As the members of the branch are categorized as subcontract and irregular workers, they must negotiate with the sub contractors who hire them. In reality the real power in terms of determining wages, working conditions, and work hours lies with POSCO. In many cases user companies have terminated contracts with sub contracts once the workers organize and form a union. Because of this, many sub contract companies refuse to negotiate with the union. Furthermore, both the user company and the sub contract company shift the blame between each other in refusing to recognize and negotiate with the union.

Details about...

Korea, Republic of (08/07/2008 - 30/08/2008)

ACT NOW and Support the Branch of the Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union, KFCITU

Union: Pohang
Source: KFCITU
Case summary: Please SIGN BWI protest letter to Mr. Ku Taek Lee, Chairman and CEO POSCO since the company has used the following tactics since 2006:

Linking employment with Union Disaffiliation
-Workers who are members of the Branch of Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union are refused employment and are barred from working on POSCO facilities until they disaffiliate from the union.
-In order for union members to work in POSCO construction sites even though they are hired by subcontractors they must possess entrance passes issued by POSCO. However, POSCO refused to issue entrance passes to union members. This is in violation of South Korean labour laws.
-POSCO exercises preference over subcontractors that refuse employment to members of the Branch of the Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union.

Rejection of the Collective Bargaining Agreement
-A collective bargaining agreement is a promise between the trade union and the employer that was agreed upon in good faith bargaining. Even though the POSCO was not the party to the agreement between the Branch of Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union, they have a strong influence in the implementation of the CBA through their role as the principal contractor.
-After the 2006 strike, POSCO filed a civil lawsuit against the union seeking compensatory damage.
-POSCO auctioned off a tract of land acquired for the construction of a building for the labour union. Thus, POSCO is using financial tactics to break the union.

Union Officials are Barred from Entering POSCO Facilities
-Prior to the strike officials of the union routinely visited POSCO operated construction sites to address the needs and concerns of union member; however, they are now limited access to the site to twice a week. This clearly restricts and interferes with the union’s ability to conducting trade union activities.
-Since the union officials and staff have limited access to the construction site, there is also less scrutiny or questions raised on occupational safety and health standards resulting in a greater increase in the number of work-related accidents.

BWI Action: Mr. Ku Taek Lee Chairman and CEO POSCO (By email) Dear Chairman Lee I am writing to express my outrage at your repression against the Branch of the Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union affiliated to the Korean Federation of Construction Industry Trade Unions, member of the Building and Wood Workers International (BWI). It is my understanding that POSCO has utilized its influence as a principal contractor to link union membership with employment. Union members have been denied identification passes to POSCO facilities and we have been told that you have asked union members to disaffiliate to remain employed or be employed. This is a violation of South Korean Industrial Labour Laws 81. This also goes against your company’s policy of Codes of Conduct which you adopted in June 2003. According to your company’s Code of Conduct, the goal of POSCO is to “implement corporate ethics that meet internationally accepted standards thus making another bold step toward becoming a globally respected and trusted company.” As you know, in both the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, there are specific articles pertaining to the right to organize, the right to join a union, and the right to strike. Even though the members of the Branch of Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union are not directly hired by POSCO, they still work in a POSCO work site and thus the international conventions comply. Against this background, we urge you to stop repressing the Branch of the Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union by immediately ending all anti-union campaign against the union. In respecting trade union rights, your company will be truly a leader in the international business community. Sincerely, CC: KFCITU; BWI Korea.