From: "mart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 10:22:53 -0500 Subject: ILWU and unions worldwide: 'Release Jailed Korean Leaders!" San Francisco (Local 10) ILWU joins worldwide support movement to demand release of jailed Korean union activists USA: AFL-CIO delegation called on the Korean embassy and delivered a protest letter from President John Sweeney. The IMF affiliate UAW sent a protest letter to Kim Dae-jung. In San Francisco, a labor / community delegation held a protest action at the Korean consulate delivered a protest letters addressed to President Kim Dae Jung. The ILWU Local 10 in San Francisco has adopted a resolution of solidarity with the jailed Korean trade unionists and will be seeking support from the ILWU Coast Caucus of all longshoremen on the West Coast. See below the messages of support for our Korean union brothers and sisters from the AFL-CIO and the ILWU and from others unions and labour organizations, worldewide. Truly, an injury to one is an injury to all and what happens there, could happen here! In great solidarity with our Korean Brothers and Sisters, and working people and unionists in all countries. mart TRUCKERS UNITE! UNION NOW!! ********************** ----- Original Message ----- From: mart-remote To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2002 9:05 AM Subject: Fwd: Fw: World Unions: 'Release Jailed Korean Leaders' ICARUS <[EMAIL PROTECTED] From: "ICARUS" To: "MART" Subject: Fw: World Unions: 'Release Jailed Korean Leaders' Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 01:45:17 -0600 Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 9:28 AM Subject: World Unions: 'Release Jailed Korean Leaders' Unions throughout the World Call for the Release of Imprisoned Trade Unionists in Korea January 22, 2002 Trade unions and workers in over 30 countries converged on the Korean embassies and consulates in their respective countries to denounce the imprisonement trade unionists in Korea, to tell the Nobel Laureate President Kim Dae Jung "Shame on you!", and demanded the immediate release of KCTU president Dan Byung-ho, KCTU-KMWF President Mun Sung-hyun, and all imprisoned trade unionists. Unionists in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh organised protest actions. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) organised a protest demonstration at the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea and delivered a protest letter to Kim Dae-jung asking the Korean Government to Release All Korean Unionists. South Africa: The metalworkers' union NUMSA organised a protest in which more than 500 participated. Click here to read more about their action. India: Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) sent a joint letter of protest to the Korean president. Dozens of protests were organised in different parts of the country, amongst others in Bombay, New Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore. Pakistan: The Pakistan Metalworkers' Federation and Automobile, Engineering and Metalworkers' Federation handed over a protest letter to the consulate in Karachi. Malaysia: About 70 trade unionists from the four IMF-MC affiliates held a one-and-a-half-hour picket outside the South Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Indonesia: About 1,000 trade unionists took part in a demonstration. Philippines: The IMF-PC handed over a protest letter. Brazil: In Brazil, CUT, together with its (and the IMF's) metal industry affiliates also joined in the international day of action. Japan: Japan Trade Union Confederation (JTUC) delivered a protest letter to the Korean embassy in Tokyo as a part of the international day of action for the release of imprisoned trade unionists in Korea. A delegation of the IMF-JC handed over a protest letter to the South Korean Embassy. Members of the All-Japan Railway Workers Union, Hokkaido Passenger Railway Workers Union, East Japan Passenger Railway Workers Union, JR East Sea Workers Union, JR West Japan Workers Union, JR Kushu Workers Union, JR Freight Workers Union, JR East Japan Workers Union Federation delivered a joint protest letter to the Korean embassy in Tokyo. Members of Japan Trade Union Council (Zenokyo) and the AWC also held protest action at the Korean embassy and consulate in Tokyo and Osaka. Australia: AMWF, CPSU, and other unions (affiliated to the IMF, PSI, ICEM, and IUF), and Korean community organisations organised a protest action at the Korean Consulate in Sydney. In workshops and public places, the AMWU has put up 10,000 posters calling for the release of Dan and Mun. New Zealand: A delegation of members from New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU), Service and Food Workers Union, Finsec (Finance Sector), the Manufactuirng and Construction Union, Youth Union Movement, the Auckland womens committee of the NZCTU and Asia Pacific Workers Solidarity Links called on the Korean Consulate in Auckland to present a protest letter demanding the release of the trade unionist in South Korea. Turkey: The Birlesik Metal-Is union handed over a protest letter for President Kim Dae-jung to the Korean Embassy in Ankara and made a statement for the press. Poland: Presidium of the Narional Commission of NSZZ Solidarnosc adopted statement on violation of trade union rights in Korea and sent to the Embassy of Republic of Korea in Warsaw. It also held media activity as a part of the International Action Day calling for release of imprisoned trade union leaders in South Korea. Russia: Five IMF affiliates organised a joint protest action in front of the Korean Embassy. Many hundreds of people showed up. Ukraine: All 7 IMF affiliates jointly handed over a protest letter to Korean Embassy official and informed the press. Belarus: IMF affiliates sent a letter to the Korean ambassador in Moscow. Latvia: The IMF affiliate took a protest letter to the Korean Embassy. Bulgaria: The National Federation of Metallurgy held a press conference in order to inform about the situation of trade unionists in Korea. Ghana: The ICU called for "the release of all trade union leaders from prison". Kenya: The Amalgamated Union of Kenya Metalworkers and the Kenya Engineering Union handed over a protest letter to the South Korean ambassador in Nairobi. Norway: LO-Norway organised a protest demonstration at the Korean embassy in Oslo. Representatives of several local unions, coordinated by the LO-Oslo took part in the rally. A delegation called on the embassy to deliver a protest letter from LO's president Ms. Gerd Liv Valla. President Bjorndalen of Fellesforbundet the LO's and IMF's metal industry affiliate also presented a protest letter to a Korean government representative. Netherlands: The Dutch Confederation of Trade Unions (FNV) sent a protest letter to the Korean President Kim Dae Jung. On the day of international day of action, FNV president Lodewijk de Waal and Annie van Wezel, policy officer for Asia of the FNV attended the Annual Ambassadors Conference, where all Dutch ambassadors abroad participate, to convey the concern about the violations of trade union rights in Korea. Italy: The General Secretary of Cisl Savino Pezzotta issued a press release stressing the need for Korean government to fully respect core labour standards to which Korea had committed in the international institutions such as the ILO and the OECD. Denmark: LO-Denmark issued a letter of protest while the IMF affiliate CO-Industri posted an "open" letter to the Korean Embassy in Copenhagen. Sweden: Metall and SIF handed over protest letters. Austria: GMBE sent a protest letter. Switzerland: A delegation from the International Metalworkers' Federation met the labour attache at the Korean Mission in Geneva and presented a protest letter. France: A delegation of the Workers Party in France handed a protest letter to the Korean embassy in Paris. Germany: IG Metall sent an open letter to Kim Dae-jung asking for the immediate release of imprisoned trade unionists. United Kingdom: The AEEU sent a letter of protest to Kim Dae-jung. USA: AFL-CIO delegation called on the Korean embassy and delivered a protest letter from President John Sweeney. The IMF affiliate UAW sent a protest letter to Kim Dae-jung. In San Francisco, a labor / community delegation held a protest action at the Korean consulate delivered a protest letters addressed to President Kim Dae Jung. The ILWU Local 10 in San Francisco has adopted a resolution of solidarity with the jailed Korean trade unionists and will be seeking support from the ILWU Coast Caucus of all longshoremen on the West Coast. Unions and workers across the world took common action in response to the appeal of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and its metal industry affiliate Korean Metal Workers Federation (KCTU-KMWF), through the active coordination of the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF). The KCTU, in its appeal, called on all friends to "take action so that trade unionists in jail in Korea can be with their family and fellow workers in the new year. February 12 is new year's day by the Lunar Calendar. In Korea, it is a day when families gather together to reflect on the past year, give thanks to ancestors, and celebrate. Our hope is that all the imprisoned workers, including the KCTU President Dan Byung-ho and KCTU-KMWF President Mun Sung-hyun, are released, to join their loved ones." In response, unions and workers in South and North, East and West either held demonstrations in front of the Korean embassies or consulates or delivered special letter of protest to the Korean government. In India, workers and union held rallies in 8 cities/states, while five national centres, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), United Trade Union Congress (UTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC) issued a joint letter of protest to the Korean government. The ICFTU General secretary, in an official ICFTU press release explained, "this international show of solidarity will send a strong message to the South Korean government and the international community, that the unlawful detention of trade unionists is unacceptable and will not go unnoticed. Kim Dae-jung cannot go on using his Nobel prize as a cloak to cover the truth. Violations of trade unions freedoms are increasingly visible, and will no longer be tolerated anywhere in the world." In calling on the IMF affiliates to take part in the international day of action, the IMF General Secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, expressed a hope that "all trade unionists [are released from] jail and the country return to democracy before the World Cup takes place". He urged, "the upcoming World Cup football championship, to be co-hosted by South Korea, is not just about enjoying one of the world's favourite passtimes but offers the possibility to put pressure on this Asian nation with regard to its poor record on trade union rights." He went on to suggest an action plan: "I belive this is a great opportunity to put the Korean government and its president on the spot." The IMF general secretary went on to remind workers and football fans everywhere that "workers in South Korea are not enjoying such of this wonderful entertainment, especially those who are still in jail because they are trade union activists and militant trade union leeaders. Trade Union Advisory Committee at the OECD, which brings together the unions in OECD member countries, to intercede in the work of OECD on the concerns of workers and the trade union movement, is coordinating efforts of member national centres in advance of the ELSAC meeting in April to meet governments to step up the OECD peer group pressure on the issue of imprisonment of trade unionists in Korea. Connected this, the TUC and other affiliates have began lobbying their respective governments to act within the OECD framework. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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