International Labor Organization (ILO), Geneva, Switzerland. ‘OIT’ in the logo on the right is the French abbreviation for International Labor Organisation. Kyunghyang Shinmun data photo
The International Transport Federation (ITF), the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Public Transport Workers Union have requested further emergency action from the International Labor Organization (ILO) in response to the government order to start the operations in response to the general strike of the cargo unions.
According to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on the 7th, the ITF and the public transport workers union sent a letter to the ILO on the 6th requesting “further emergency response” under a joint name. It is the first time that the union has asked for further action on an issue.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said, “The Korean government insists on a rigorous response in accordance with the law and principles even before the strike began, and the ministers led by President Yoon Seok-yeol and ruling party members are taking the initiative in criminalizing the strike by spreading day-to-day statements inciting anti-unionization and strike destruction Concerned that such behavior by the Korean government is grossly violating not only cargo worker strikes but also basic labor rights in general , a letter has been sent to the ILO Secretary-General and the United Nations (UN) Special Advocate for Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association requesting further action.” He explained.
The government issued an order to start work on cement cargo workers six days after the general strike by cargo unions. It is also considering expanding oil refining and containerized goods.
Earlier, on the 28th of last month, the ITF, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Public Transport Workers Union requested the ILO for an “emergency action” under a common name, and on the 2nd, the ILO sent an official “immediate action” letter to the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labour. The ITF said: “The ILO Secretary-General’s letter of intervention made it clear that the order to initiate government activity violated international standards (ILO Basic Convention No. 87, etc.).” If the ILO grants the request for further intervention, the Korean government could also become a diplomatic burden.
As for the ILO’s intervention, on the 4th Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho said: “We think it is nothing more than a simple opinion poll”. It has been devalued as an “opinion survey” as it does not lead to recommendations by hearing the views of the Korean government. The world of work explains that since the Korean government ratified ILO Conventions No. 87 (Freedom of association and protection of the right to organize) and n. ILO numbers 87 and 29 entered into force last April and have the same effect as national laws.
The Ministry of Labor maintains a position to “respond in good faith” to the intervention of the ILO Secretariat, but says this procedure is “not a procedure by an official supervisory body such as the Committee on Freedom of Association” . The ITF and others plan to file a complaint with the ILO’s Committee on Freedom of Association within the next week.
In a written interview with a reporter, ITF Legal Director Ruwan Subasinghe, who was in charge of drafting the ILO’s intervention letter, said: ‘The ILO’s intervention letter is not simply a request for an opinion. purpose, it was ordered to use the ILO consultation (ILO interpretation). It is diplomatic rudeness and disrespectful act to underestimate the request letter.” He also stressed: “The intervention of the ILO Secretariat is diplomatically very important, even if different from the ‘judgment of the supervisory body'”.
