URGENT ACTION APPEAL FROM SOUTH KOREA
STAND UP TO Protest South Koreas inhuman crackdown and unjust
suppression of migrant workers, in the Equality Trade Union Migrants Branch, ETU-MB
The South Korean government is taking extreme action to crush the power of the nationwide trade union for migrant workers, known as the Equality Trade Union - Migrants Branch, by treating workers as illegals, forcing mass deportations and denying even the basic human rights. The government has deployed immigration officers and armed police as part of its campaign, and with the assistance of Korean Airlines it is making
efforts to deport tens of thousands of migrant workers. The vicious crackdowns involving teargas and gun-wielding immigration officers and on going police brutality on the workers are designed to intimidate workers into submission and docility to smash the ETU - MB workers organization.
Unfortunately the South Korean governments actions are just one of the
many examples of the harsh realities that migrant labourers face world
wide; often being denied basic rights, health care services, and being
robbed of the minimum labour standards. The ETU-MB has been under
constant attack since it formed in 2001 for no other reason than because of the fact that the union threatens the ability of the government and
corporations to systemically exploit and abuse workers as cheap migrant
labour - a pure defiance against globalization.
Activists from the ETU-MB are in the front line of the worker's
struggle and they continue to fight to win! These migrants pay brokers
exorbitant fees just to come to South Korea to work (between $8000-10,000 US) and their families rely heavily on their remittances to survive. Despite state terrorization and being nabbed for their public defiance, the workers continue to be militant and organized; engaged in a sit-in (now entering its third month) at the Myongdong Cathedral in the center of Seoul.
Eight migrant workers have died as a result of the crackdowns and six
more workers are dead by suicide. To make an already desperate situation worse, the Korean government recently announced on January 15, 2004, that they will step up the campaign to purge all remaining undocumented workers. The ETU has sent out an urgent international call to show solidarity with migrant workers and we need to act!
Stand up to defend migrant workers!
Demand a legalisation of migrant worker rights and an end to all deportations of ETU-MB workers in South Korea.
On Friday Jan 23 join workers, and community members to send a message to the Korean Airlines that there participation in this government campaign to deport ETU-MB members must end.
JOIN THE PICKET
Fri Jan 23
Korean Airlines
At 55 University Ave @ Noon.
Bring your union flags, banners and solidarity to defend migrant worker
rights.
Endorsed by OCAP, No ONE Is ILLEGAL-Toronto, New Socialist Group and
others. Send your endorsements to ocap@tao.ca
Please show your support and send a message to the South Korean
president by going here:
http://www.laborstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=23
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1.28 International Action Day/demo 
