Amalgamated Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union 1st Congress

 https://www.kptu.net/mboard.asp?Action=view&strBoardID=KPTU_PDSENG&intCategory=0&strSearchCategory=|s_name|s_subject|&strSearchWord=&intPage=1&intSeq=15192    On February 25, delegates of the former Korean Federation of Public Services and Transportation Workers’ Union held their 2015 Congress. At the Congress, KPTU delegates took bold steps towards strengthening their collective power in a difficult battle against the Korean government’s attack on workers and the public sector. Specifically, delegates passed a long-discussed proposal to transform from a loose federation into one single industrial union. Thus, this year’s Congress became the first Congress of the amalgamated ‘Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union’.

 

The KPTU’s reorganisation will rationalise a previously heterogeneous union fees system and affiliated-union structure. Most significantly, it will increase unity among a diverse membership by creating/strengthening ‘project groups’ based on similarity in sector, region and/or employment-type, which will serve as platforms for joint bargaining, campaigning and struggle.   

In addition to the reorganisation, KPTU delegates elected 6 vice presidents who, together with President Sangsu Jo and General Secretary Aeran Kim, elected through a full-membership vote at the end of 2014, form the first leadership of the amalgamated KPTU.

Delegates also passed an ambitious work plan for 2015. Keeping closely in line with the plans of our national centre, the Korean Confederation of Trade Union, the KPTU plans to concentrate protests and strike action against the government’s policies to expand labour flexibalisation, introduce performance-based wage scales and firing and speed-up privatisation and deregulation in April-June. KPTU will also work with the KCTU to build up for a general strike calling for decent jobs, quality public services and fundamental labour rights at the end of the year.  

KPTU delegates were emboldened in their deliberations by the outpouring of solidarity from unions abroad that graced the Congress. Congratulatory messages were sent by Public Services International General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli, International Transport Workers’ Federation Railway Section Chair Øystein Aslaksen and 17 national unions overseas. KPTU returns it sincere gratitude to all the international colleagues and friends who showed their solidarity and promised their continued support. We look forward very much to continuing to build and grow with you in 2015 and the years to come.     

Source: https://www.kptu.net/mboard.asp?Action=view&strBoardID=KPTU_PDSENG&intCategory=0&strSearchCategory=|s_name|s_subject|&strSearchWord=&intPage=1&intSeq=15192

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임월산 (Wol-san Liem)