Challenging South Korea ’ s war on workers

Cho Sung-deok has spent a year in prison because of his trade union activity. Mr Cho is a former airport security guard and vice president of the Korean Public & Social Services and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU). In his role as a guard at Incheon International airport, he was working in the public sector but was subcontracted to a private company. He and his colleagues faced low wages and poor working conditions. Sung-deok began to organise to fight back, but after going on strike, he was sacked. Deciding to do more to protect workers’ rights, he ran for and was elected to the position of KPTU vice president. In 2015, the South Korean government was making plans for further privatisation of public services as well as changes to employment laws, enabling poorer working conditions and protections. Unions organised a protest on 1 May 2015. The police tried to suppress the demonstrations, using what many described as ‘disproportionate force.’ Sung-deok was involved in some of the clashes between the protesters and police. Twenty days later, he was summoned for questioning by the police. Political prisoner Sung-deok learned that the police had cameras following the trade union leaders at the protest. Later, a warrant to search his mobile phone was issued on behalf of four different authorities – the South Korean national intelligence service, the police, the prosecutor and the intelligence department of the army. After questioning, the police had to decide whether ...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Magazine international Source Type: news