KTU submits formal complaint to ILO

The Korean Teachers Union submitted a complaint to the International Labour Organization this week, charging the government with failing to consult with teacher organizations before implementing important labor reforms, and with attempting to restrain the lawful activities of teacher unions.

The ILO will ask the government to respond to the KTU's complaint in June.

South Korea has not ratified ILO Convention 87, on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, or ILO Convention 98, on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining.

The complaint focuses on:

• the absence of dialogue with the KTU in the development and implementation of a system of teacher evaluation,
• a prohibition of the right to assemble,
• the denial of the right to strike in the Teacher Union Act,
• the imposition of disciplinary sanctions against 436 teachers who participated in a union assembly in November, 2006, and
• the imprisonment of two members who posted images of North Korean posters on a union website in order to promote peace education.

The KTU was forced to submit the complaint when the government failed to respond to a letter sent by Education International in February. The EI's letter expressed concern about the government's decision to punish teachers who had protested the imposition of the teacher evaluation system.

The complaint argues that "social dialogue is a cornerstone of democracy and that successful social dialogue structures and processes have the potential to resolve important economic and social issues, encourage good governance, advance social and industrial peace and stability and boost economic progress. The Republic of Korea, as a member of the tripartite International Labour Organisation, is well aware that workers' organisations (including teacher unions and associations) need to be consulted. However, for the last four years, the government of Korea has failed to consult the KTU."

2007.05.31
Korean Teachers Union (Jason Thomas)

Complete text of complaint .html .doc

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