Regular Conventions of KCTU-affiliated Unions
∙ Regular convention of the Korea Health & Medical Workers’ Union (18th ~ 19th February)
∙ Regular convention of the Korean Cargo Transport Workers’ Union (22nd February)
∙ Regular convention of the Korean Federation of Private Service Workers’ Unions (26th February)
∙ Regular convention of the Korean Public & Social Services and Transportation Workers’ Union (28th February)
The Korea Health & Medical Workers’ Union (KHMW) is gearing up for a struggle against the government plans for ‘advancement of the medical industry’. In particular, they are planning to engage in activities leading up to the special session of the National Assembly (1st half of the year), industry-level strikes in June and labor struggle toward parliamentary inspections and the regular session of the National Assembly (2nd half of the year). As large hospitals and small-to-medium size hospitals have different views of the government’s plans, the scale of industry-level strikes is likely to be determined by the decision of large hospital unions on whether to participate or not.
The Korean Federation of Private Service Workers’ Unions plans to improve working conditions in large department stores, primarily in the areas of emotional workers and part-time labor contracts. In addition, they are seeking to unionize and attract these emotional workers and part-time workers as a new source of membership. Meanwhile, the Korean Public & Social Services and Transportation Workers’ Union is expected to hold rallies related to the government’s reform of the public sector during the first half of 2014. For the 2nd half of the year, they are planning activities leading up to parliamentary inspection and the regular session of the National Assembly, coupled with labor strife in workplaces which have expired wage and collective bargaining agreements.