Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kalbi]

Was wondering whether this could potentially have any future ramifictions for the teaching comunity. Comments?

From Korean Herald. Original link: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2007/02/01/200702010070.asp

Court backs migrant workers' union


A Seoul appellant court today ruled that migrant workers have the right to organize a labor union regardless of their legal status.
The Seoul High Court overturned a lower court ruling last year which backed the government's refusal of a request by a group of foreign workers to form a labor union.

Foreign workers welcomed today's decision as paving the way for the better protection of labor rights of more than 360,000 migrant workers who face rampant abuse and unfair treatment at workplaces.

"This means all migrant workers have the right to establish a labor union or become unionized members, whether they have illegal status or not," said workers' counsel Kwon Young-kuk.

In May 2005, the Seoul-Gyeonggi-Incheon Migrant Trade Union submitted an application to launch a legal labor union at a Seoul regional office of the Labor Ministry.

But the ministry rejected it on the grounds that it would include those overstaying their visa or entering the nation illegally.

Migrant workers often experience various forms abuse in the workplace as employees exploit their illegal status which prevent them from complaining to the authorities. Many illegal workers who were injured on the job received inadequate treatment and little or no compensation.

The number of foreigners who remained in Korea for longer than 90 days reached at 536,000 last year, accounting for more than 1 percent of the whole population.

At least 360,000 migrant workers were believed to be working in Korea as of June 2006, some 1.5 percent of the total workforce, according to Amnesty International, an international human rights watchdog. Of this total, there were at least 189,000 "irregular" migrant workers and at least 115,000 "documented" migrant workers.

Initially the union first had 91 members from Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines and Indonesia working in the capital, Inchon and Kyonggi Province in 2005, but now boasts over 200 members, Kwon said.

"The number keeps rising and falling because some of the illegal migrant workers get arrested and deported back to their countries," he said.

Anwar Hossain, the Bangladeshi leader of the union, was arrested in May 2005 for overstaying his Korean visa. The Immigration Bureau released him last April due to his poor health.

"It's quite hard to understand why we have to become illegal immigrants. The government here brings in new workers while forcing experienced workers out of the country," Hossain once told local media. "We're only here because we want to make a living, and it is time that our voices are heard."

The union had demanded the government to follow a 1997 Supreme Court ruling, which grants that every worker, regardless of their legal status, should be guaranteed basic rights, including the right to organize.

By Annie I. Bang

([email protected])




2007.02.01

[ChuckECheese]

Here comes ESL Teachers' Union.

[Roch]

[English_Ocean]

Where to start? Let's call a meeting! We need to get a website setup too!

[TheUrbanMyth]

Hate to be a killjoy but these people are illegals

They do not have VALID LEGAL VISAS which restrict a union such as E-2's have. In other words they have no visas which have laws against forming an union.

Not only that but union status is granted by the Labor ministry (I believe). E-2's are a Immigration policy.

And again. Who would be the labor stewards (you would need a different visa and not a E-2)?

Who would collect union fees? Who would you trust with your money and not someone who could skip off back home(or overseas somewhere else) with a few hundred million won?


What would be the policy on illegal teachers? Or privates? If you want a union you can't tolerate this behaviour. It would discredit the union.



BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHO IS GOING TO "BELL THE CAT"? Who is going to be the test case and rock the boat and risk losing his job and being permanently deported by challenging the status of E-2's in court?


Yeah...that's what I thought.

[kalbi]

To Urbanmyth....

I beleive that the ruling covers legals and illegals:

"A Seoul appellant court today ruled that migrant workers have the right to organize a labor union [b]regardless of their legal status[/b]. "

[midian3x]

So let me get this straight or perpendicular or oblique- people who are here illegaly can have unions and what not- but those here legally cant? Bites tounge- or is that bites fingers?

[TheUrbanMyth]

The regulation about E-2 is an Immigration policy not labor law.


But anyway even assuming I am wrong about this...what about the other problems I addressed? And who is going to stand up and demand that we form a union? An annoymous website isn't going to cut it. You'd have to register with a court and use your real name.


Anyone?

[SeoulFinn]

Guys and girls, can I be the president of the ESLUT (English as Second Language - Union of Teachers)? I'm well qualified for the job because I'm not affiliated to the English teaching industry and I'm in R.O.K. on a tourist visa. Furthermore, I'm not even native English speaker... for what that's worth anyway.

My needs will be limited to a 150 pyeong penthouse in Gangnam and office at COEX. Oh, and I'll only take 25% of your salary whether you are paid on time or not. (Mental note: Hire enforcers and debt collectors.!) And naturally my staff has to be filled with leggy and buxom ladies with questionable morals. Hey, otherwise the other union bosses would laugh at me and we don't want that to happen, right?

My slogan will be

"One for all and all for me!"


Yours unfaithfully, ESLUT's President Candidate


SeoulFinn


PS. When I can move to my new house?
PPS. Buxom and leggy ladies may send their applications to me so that I can start the screening process for try-outs... err... auditions... I mean interviews.

[midian3x]

I dont give a damn if it is immigration policy or not-

the point is that we- ESL teachers- are here LEGALLY, and are being denied something that ILLEGALS are getting acess too- seems a bit odd to me- but maybey it is just the soju.

[Satin]

Just need a super international labor attorney to step up to the bat. Know any? Opportunity of a lifetime!

[gsxr750r]

I was handed one of these near Hyewha:

[TheUrbanMyth]

Propaganda like the above doesn't really further their cause though.


For example look at the heading "The deadly murderous crackdown."

I was "WTF...they must be more mistreated than I thought!"

Then I read this "migrant workers are being injured or killed by the deadly crackdown and deportations.."

I read a little further and the examples they gave are of people trying to get away and escape. No the crackdown is not deadly...their reactions to it are. Sorry but if you are being taken into custody and you hurt yourself trying to escape my sympathy is limited. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. And that applies to everyone.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[jinju]

Labor unions: refuge for communist trash.