CINA

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It seems that all two years S.Korea is facing a real, or at least potentially increasing confrontation between unionized hospital/medical workers and their employers (better you call them exploiters!!). And no wonder that the conflict continuously is increasing, sometimes escalating: continuously the employers are refusing to meet the main demands of the workers(aeh~ actually like usually..).

At least since 2002 hospital/medical workers are demanding better work conditions, 5-days working week and real work contracts for irregular workers.

Already in later summer 2002 I joined some demonstrations and rallies during the first nationwide strike of S.K. hospital workers. At that time the government and the employers sent thousands of riot cops to smash the strike. KCTU wrote this, among many other articles, leaflets.. about the strike:

5,000 Hospital Workers Strike in Solidarity 

Hundreds of strikers and their supporters were arrested(including my ^^friend..) during the struggle.

Hospital Workers' Sit-in at the Myongdong Cathedral
Some of the activists called this struggle "Our 9.11"!! 

About this struggle at that time I wrote short reports for Base21:

http://base21.jinbo.net/show/show.php?p_cd=205&p_dv=0&p_docnbr=22528

http://base21.jinbo.net/show/show.php?p_cd=205&p_dv=0&p_docnbr=22627

Two years ago, in June 2004, we, migrant workers, at that time in sit-in strike in Myeong-dong, joined the strike of hospital workers. ETU-MB wrote also about it at that time:

6.09/10 struggle report (hospital workers general strike) 

Now two years later S.K. press is reporting that in this week a new round of struggle for the nearly same  demands hospital workers were/are struggling since 2002 will begin:

S. Korean hospital workers to go on strike this week

Tens of thousands of hospital workers will go on strike as planned this week to press their demand for higher salaries and better working conditions, their union said Sunday.

The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union said it has decided to launch the walkout on Thursday after 73.6 percent of its 26,630 members voted for the strike.. (Yonhap, 8.21)

Health Workers Opt for Strike (K. Times, 8.20)
 

The Korea Health and Medical Worker’s Union, with workers at 113 hospitals nationwide, voted to launch a general strike this week, after failing to resolve a dispute with management representatives over wages and working conditions.

Announcing the results of a three-day vote Saturday, the union said its walkout will start next Thursday, after nearly 74 percent of those voting approved the industrial action. More than 26,600 of the union’s 32,000 members participated in the vote.

The union is calling for a 9.3 percent rise in salary, permanent employment of temporary workers, and the implementation of a five-day workweek.

The union said if the management refuses to alter its position, there will be strikes starting from 7 a.m. Thursday, taking place in each hospital lobby. Both the management and union were close to an agreement, but still differ over three issues. The management has refused to accept the union’s demand for a salary hike, citing a lack of money.

There are 113 union branches, with workers at hospitals such as the Korea University Medical Center, Ewha Womans University Medical Center and Hanyang University Medical Center. In 2004, the union went on a general strike for three days causing inconvenience to patients through long queues.

However, the government said while the event will bring some discomfort, there will not be as much ``chaos’’ as there was two years ago..

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200608/kt2006082017522611970.htm