Monday, December 4, 2006

Korean Government Warns Harsh Action Against Truckers

The government yesterday warned of stern action against striking truckers as they blockaded major roads and allegedly destroyed vehicles owned by nonunion drivers. More than 130 vehicles - including private automobiles - were wrecked and set on fire in South Jeolla and North Gyeongsang provinces, apparently by strikers, police said. The Korea Cargo Transport Workers' Federation went on strike Friday demanding prompt settlement of labor bills on raising cargo transport fees and guaranteeing labor rights.
Their industrial action disrupted shipment at major ports hitting the export-driven economy. The hardest hit was Gwangyang Port in the southwest, which handled about 35 percent of its usual cargo volume yesterday afternoon. Other ports in Busan and Pyeongtaek were running at less than half their normal cargo capacity.
Over 1,600 cargo workers gathered in rallies in 43 areas across the country yesterday. The strike is expected to reach a turning point today as the National Assembly construction committee debates the new set of labor bills. Even nonmembers of the federation have threatened to join the strike if there is still no resolution on the bills. The bills, proposed by the minor Democratic Labor Party, have been pending for several months.
Due to violent protests in the Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions over the weekend, a total of 62 freight cars and 66 private automobiles were damaged, and 18 cars were set on fire, the police said.

The Korean Herald - 12/05/06

1 comment:

  1. Nice. good to see. A true symbol of democratic values, and proof that western countries are "doing the right thing." We should press harder to plant more democracies throughout the rest of the world, so that they may bud and eventually flourish as full thriving gardens beaming into the distant universe. Then the galactic god superstar will look down upon "us" or U.S. as rightful rulers of the universe and earth. Oh, by the way, did you hear the U.S. is going back to the moon.

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