Ministry unions vote on secession from KCTU

Public workers` unions at ministries start voting today on whether to withdraw from the hardline Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, union officials said yesterday.

Despite the government`s stern warning, the nation`s three civil service unions -- the Korean Government Employees` Union, the Korean Democracy Government Employees` Union and the Court Government Employees` Union -- decided to merge into a single entity and join the radical umbrella labor union on Sept. 22 in a member voting.



The government has not yet approved the merged public workers` union, saying that the KCTU aims to form a political force. It also has warned to respond strictly when the union members participate in the KCTU`s political protests and violate related laws.

An estimated 6,000 employees at the Environment Ministry, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the National Statistical Office are expected to participate in a series of votes through this weekend.

If they vote to break away, the merged public workers` union seems to be dealt a blow, losing nearly 83 percent of its total members.

Of the total 27,200 unionist public workers, some 20,000 are belonged to a union at the Ministry of Public Administration, while the other 72,000 are attached to the merged public workers` union.

"There`s a possibility that the vote will be rejected as it requires the approval of more than two-thirds of members. Even so, a series of secessions will be followed because the vote was caused by some resistance of union members," said an official from the Ministry of Public Administration.

However, union officials claimed that the government might have pressed its unions, saying the secession will be voted down.

(jylee@heraldm.com)





By Lee Ji-yoon