Rival Labor Camps Join Hands for Labor Bill?

Chosun Ilbo, 4 December 1996

Will the joint struggle between government-recognised Federation of Korean Trade Unions and its rival the dissident Korean Confederation of Trade Unions possible to counter the new labor bill? The two labor organizations have been severe rivals with the formation of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in November last year. Last October, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions criticised the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in its official publication by comparing them to a hyena which lives on the dead flesh. But on the revision of the labor bill, there is a growing possibility for a joint strategy between the two camps.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions announced Wednesday that discussions are underway with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions on the schedule and the methods of the struggle but the Federation of Korean Trade Unions is still reserved in its attitude saying that it has not received any formal proposal for the joint struggle. The General-Secretary said that they have the same goals and the time of the schedules strike is almost the same. Even if the joint struggle were to fail, the heat of the strikes will have a multiplication effect. He also further commented that there is still some time left and that after studying the situation, the joint struggle may be possible.

Labor experts predict that if the 900,000 members of the 1500 unions belonging to either of the labor camps go on strike, it will produce an unimaginable power of explosion.