SEOUL (AFP) - A powerful South Korea labor group said it would call hundreds of thousands of its members to strike next week against a government bill aimed at stopping union militancy and securing flexible job markets.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the country's two umbrella unions, announced the strike ahead of a massive protest rally Sunday in downtown Seoul.
"The general strike begins on November 26 to get the government bill repealed," said Lee Su-Bong, spokesman for the confederation that claims 600,000 members nationwide.
Intensifying weeks of labor unrest, tens of thousands of KCTU workers gathered for the protest in the capital under the watch of 9,000 troops who had hundreds of buses ready to be used as barricades.
The controversial bill will restrict militant union activities and allow companies to hire more temporary workers in the private sector, a key demand in trade talks with other countries.
The bill, part of President Roh Moo-Hyun's promised labor reforms, is awaiting approval from parliament which is expected to deliberate the legislation next week.
Unions want the bill to be scrapped saying it would infringe on labor rights and destabilize the job market with the increase of what they term "non-regular" workers.
Adding to labor tensions gripping this country, government employees have said they would strike on November 25 for more rights despite police crackdowns aimed at stopping the action.
South Korea bans public servants from taking part in union activities and the KCTU-backed Korean Government Employees Union, which claims 140,000 members from among the country's 300,000 low-ranking civil workers, has demanded the right to strike.
The government's labor reforms bill allows the public servants to form unions, but still denies them the right to strike.
Police have rounded up government-employee unionists and stormed union offices in the past weeks to disrupt the planned strike, warning that strikers could face dismissal and arrest.
Thousands of farmers clashed with riot police in Seoul Saturday after a street demonstration against the opening of the country's rice markets.
11/14/2004 - 11:54 GMT - AFP