KCTU News
To all the workers remembering the May Gwangju struggle of 1980, we ask for your support to the struggle of irregular workers at Gwangju City Hall
This month will be the 27th anniversary of the May 1980 struggle by the Gwanju people against the dictatorship. The city of Gwangju, which regards itself as the city of democracy․peace․human rights, will be holding commemorative events, as well as a World Women's Peace Forum with renowned women's movement activists from across the world.
At this time however, there is no democracy, no peace, and no human rights or women in Gwangju.
On the 7th of March, female cleaning workers doing jobs contracted out by the city of Gwanju, facing the end of the contract between the city and the service contract firm, commenced a sit-in demonstration at the city hall to demand a meeting with the mayor. These women, who had formed a trade union in 2004, had continuously called for improvements to the system of employment instability, low wages, and middlemen exploitation.
But at 2 AM on the 99th Women's Day(8th of March), the mayor and thousands of public servants at city hall stormed the site of the sit-in, and employing force, pulled the resisting workers outside. Punches were thrown against the female workers, many were dragged out with blankets pulled over them, repeating many of the scenes of violence and human rights violations on the 18th of May 27 years ago. The irregular workers were laid off the next day.
This year, the Roh government announced as part of its
This month will be the 27th anniversary of the May 1980 struggle by the Gwanju people against the dictatorship. The city of Gwangju, which regards itself as the city of democracy․peace․human rights, will be holding commemorative events, as well as a World Women's Peace Forum with renowned women's movement activists from across the world.
At this time however, there is no democracy, no peace, and no human rights or women in Gwangju.
On the 7th of March, female cleaning workers doing jobs contracted out by the city of Gwanju, facing the end of the contract between the city and the service contract firm, commenced a sit-in demonstration at the city hall to demand a meeting with the mayor. These women, who had formed a trade union in 2004, had continuously called for improvements to the system of employment instability, low wages, and middlemen exploitation.
But at 2 AM on the 99th Women's Day(8th of March), the mayor and thousands of public servants at city hall stormed the site of the sit-in, and employing force, pulled the resisting workers outside. Punches were thrown against the female workers, many were dragged out with blankets pulled over them, repeating many of the scenes of violence and human rights violations on the 18th of May 27 years ago. The irregular workers were laid off the next day.
This year, the Roh government announced as part of its
