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NEWS & LETTERS, OCTOBER 2003Our Life and Times by Kevin A. BarrySouth Korean strikesDuring the past few months, South Korean workers have taken advantage of the limited political space opened up by the election to the presidency of Roh Moo Hyun, who has been slower to crack down on labor than previous leaders. After bank workers won a small victory in June against international capital, railway workers followed suit by shutting down 90% of freight and 50% of passenger service in a four-day strike. In July, workers at Hyundai Motor Company began what was to become a 47-day rolling strike. In the end, they won some major concessions from capital, including an 8.6% pay raise. Hyundai workers also won a five-day, 40-hour week, a change from their previous 5.5 day, 44 hour week, without any reduction in pay. (Almost all Korean workers are still in the latter situation, or worse.) Workers from other major auto companies immediately pledged to follow suit. Despite these major gains, which were achieved in a slowing economy, most South Korean workers inhabit a vastly different world, that of the small company. Here, the week often stretches to 50 hours and pay averages only $1,300/month. In addition, more than half of the working class are day laborers and temporaries with few benefits. |
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