Australian Vist pictures

 I am willing to go to jail tomorrow to end this slavery’

 Australian and Korean Workers build Strong Solidarity Links

A leading Korean trade unionist from the democratic trade union movement in Korea addressed a large gathering of some eight hundred dock workers and seafarers from the Maritime Union of Australian (MUA) at their State Conference in Fremantle.

Christie Cain,  the Branch Secretary of the MUA WA Branch, who, with his team of organisers, has completely transformed the branch into a participative movement committed to justice at work and in society reflected on Kim’s visit:

To get a General Secretary of the calibre of Dal-Sik Kim over here to address our members was fantastic.  It was inspirational to hear Kim speak and we are committed to fighting  against casualization here in Australia and in Korea.  We will engage in this struggle until  these contracts are ended and workers here, in Korea and elsewhere have security for their  families’.

Kim has endured long periods in prison for standing up for the rights of Korean workers and  campaigning against the scourge of casualization, which he sees as a new form of slavery. Kim received a prolonged standing ovation from the warfies and seafarers when he unzipped    his jacket and revealed the MUA shirt he wore. 

To the cheers of the workers he proclaimed, I am a Korean trade union leader.  I am willing to go back to jail to end this slavery.  But now I am also a member of the MUA and I will wear this shirt when I address workers in Korea.  We are one movement now.  Nothing can separate us. We are united in our demands in our determination to end irregular work contracts.’

Kim spread the message to construction sites in Perth before flying to Melbourne to address Australian Manufacturing Worker Unions (AMWU) workers from the GM plant as well as meeting Melbourne MUA officials and warfies at Webb dock, and then speaking at the Victorian Trades Hall meeting of 34 affiliates.

Kim warned AMWU members moves towards casual labour in the auto industry could become more extensive in Australia.

Dal Sik Kim, General Secretary of the Korean Transport Workers’ Union, updated AMWU and  MUA delegates and members on the three year struggle of GM Daewoo workers to gain reinstatement and Union recognition.

Mr Kim told members GM Daewoo in South Korea had introduced a casual, non-union workforce at a cost of hundreds of permanent jobs.

“Casualisation is a serious problem for workers, not only in South Korea but all around the world.  Like a cancer it’s spreading everywhere.

“We want to end casualisation and we want reinstatement for KMWU members.

“I am here in Australia to say ‘we must work together to fight casualisation’. One day workers in Australia may suffer the same fate as our workers in Korea, where up to 70% of all workers are engaged casually,” he said.

Nick Gouvousis GM Holden delegate was one of many members shocked to learn of the plight of the Daewoo auto workers who are members of the Korean metals Workers Union (KMWU).

“It was quite disturbing to hear his (Mr Kim’s) stories. When you hear about the experiences of workers being exploited it’s hard to think we work under the same banner (GM).

“I think it’s important that we let our company know that we don’t think it’s acceptable to treat the workers in that way. As a multi-national company they might run things differently in other countries but the Korean workers should have the same rights we have,” Mr Gouvousis said.

AMWU Assistant National Secretary Glenn Thompson said the trip, co-sponsored by the AMWU and MUA in cooperation with SIGTUR Southern Initiative Global Trade Union Rights, was an important show of solidarity to the Daewoo workers.

“The AMWU is committed to supporting casual workers around the world. We believe global transnational corporations like GM Daewoo need to treat workers with respect and the right to organise.

“Above all they GM Daewoo need to genuinely uphold the principle of being freely able to organise in this case the union the KMWU has not been recognised. TGM Daewoo workers, are still fighting for their jobs and union recongition. 

Kevin Bracken Victorian Branch Secretary MUA said: Korean Daewoo workers struggle for over three years to fight for secure employment and DalSik Kims two years incarceration has galvanised our members at Patrick in their struggle for security of employment. The trend of casual or indirect employment felt by our Comrades at the other end of the supply chain is also our struggle

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Click here for more information on the plight of GM Daewoo workers or sign up to an

online petition supporting the workers.

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