On May 1, marking the 136th anniversary of International Workers’ Day, the Workers’ Committee of the People’s Democracy Party (PDP) and the ‘Republic of Korea (ROK)’ office of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU, Preparatory Committee) held a political rally in front of the US Embassy in the ‘ROK’ under the slogan, “Succeed the Spirit of the Martyrs! Win Fundamental Labor Rights! Realize People’s Democracy!”
The moderator stated, “Last year, more than 2,000 workers lost their lives at their workplaces. While workers suffering from high-intensity exploitation in unsafe working environments are increasingly exposed to occupational diseases and disasters due to overwork and stress, the internal reserves of major corporations have reached a record high of 1,527 trillion won.”
The moderator continued, “In this current era, where the exploitation, plunder, aggression, and massacre by monopoly capital and imperialism are becoming ever more atrocious, we will hold high the victorious slogan, ‘Workers of the World, Unite!’ We shall stand against imperialism and its lackey forces—the common enemies of all workers—to ultimately accelerate the realization of a liberated world for workers and the masses, a world of people’s democracy.”
The participants shouted the following slogans: “Succeed the spirit of the martyrs and win fundamental labor rights!” “Let us liquidate the evils of labor, union suppression, and the killing of workers!” “Apply the Labor Standards Act to all workers!” “Guarantee the people’s right to survival instead of sending troops to wars of aggression!” “Let workers take the lead in accelerating a society of people’s democracy!” “Workers of the world, unite to overthrow imperialism!”
Kim In-ja, the chairperson of the National General Social Service Workers Union, lamented, “The world does not turn for even a second without workers. It is such common sense, but instead of viewing workers as people who dedicate precious energy and strength to us and as fellow citizens living together, a concept has been instilled that workers are merely those who only make demands and vent frustrations.”
She continued to emphasize, “A world where irregular employment is abolished and basic labor rights can be protected is the true world of liberation we envision and a world where citizens can be dignified. The struggle against irregular employment will be a fight that changes the history of this nation and raises awareness to the point of approaching anti-imperialist and anti-fascist issues.”
Finally, Chairperson Kim In-ja led the chant: “Abolish irregular employment and let us live like human beings!”
Kim Jang-min, Standing Researcher at the Phoenix Political Economy Research Institute, denounced the situation, asking, “Ten years ago, the martyr Kim Tae-hwan was also crushed to death while protesting against an outside vehicle brought in to break a strike. How is the current Lee Jae-myung administration any different from previous regimes that suppressed workers?”
He continued, “The fundamental human rights of our workers will not be fully guaranteed simply by fighting against management, capital, and the power that defends them within the factories.” Condemning the war policies and coercive tariff negotiations of US imperialism, he emphasized, “Workers must struggle not only against capital and the regime but also against the US imperialist policies and their exploitative mechanisms that lurk behind the scenes to siphon and plunder the labor of the masses.”
Member of the WFTU read the joint statement, “Let Us Win Fundamental Labor Rights and Realize People’s Democracy!” and then sang the “Song of the Flag.”
The following is the full text of the statement.
[Joint Statement]
Let Us Win Fundamental Labor Rights and Realize People’s Democracy!
Workers and the masses in our country are standing at the edge of a precipice of survival. As of January this year, real wages have plummeted by 9.4% compared to the same month last year. While the consumer price index (CPI) rose by 2.2% as of March, the cost of living index increased by nearly 3%, with fresh food and transportation costs showing even higher spikes of 5–7%. As a result of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israeli aggression against Iran, the “energy-poor” population is rapidly expanding, particularly among low-income groups. The employment rate for youth stands at a mere 43.6%, and more than half of young workers are in irregular (precarious) positions. The proportion of actual irregular workers among all laborers is approaching 50%, and over 30% of self-employed individuals are barely subsisting on incomes lower than the minimum wage, having been reduced to “dependent contract laborers” for corporations. Social polarization is starkly revealed by the fact that the average wages of irregular workers and female workers are only 51.6% and 35%, respectively, compared to those of regular and male workers.
A state of barbarism is prevailing, where even the very identity of workers is stripped away to intensify exploitation. Platform and special employment workers are being excluded from the three fundamental labor rights by being categorized as so-called “employers.” As is well known, they are workers employed by corporations. As a result of being classified as “employers,” they suffer from double and triple layers of labor exploitation while facing easy dismissal; furthermore, they must bear all costs incurred during the labor process themselves. For instance, as of March, freight workers saw their average monthly fuel costs increase by more than 1 million won due to surging oil prices. Although the “Yellow Envelope Law” has been enacted, platform and special employment workers are blocked by a barrier where they must prove their own status as workers. Even when they launch a struggle to demand negotiations with the principal contractor (original employer), they are condemned as “illegal” and hounded by massive damage claims from management. Ultimately, they even lose their lives at the hands of the company, the police, and public power. The tragedy on April 20 caused by BGF Retail and the police—the death of a worker—vividly demonstrates the miserable reality of our time.
The hideousness and brutality of capital are starkly revealed through the war against Iran. Since February 28, US imperialism and Israeli Zionism have been frenziedly carrying out airstrikes on Lebanon and committing massacres against the masses, alongside the bombing of Iran. Behind these events lie three major projects into which transnational financial capital has invested massive resources. The three projects—the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), the “Ben Gurion” Canal, and the Levant Gas Field—are being pursued as part of a grand conspiracy by transnational financial capital to transform the global structure of exploitation and plunder from the “petrodollar system” to a so-called “gas-dollar system.” The destruction of Lebanon and the slaughter of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by the USA and Israel reflect a sinister scheme to clear the area surrounding Haifa, Israel—a key strategic hub for these three projects—and to seize the Gaza Marine gas field off the coast of Gaza. During the war, military capital profits; after the war, civilian capital profits; and the financial capital that dominates both grows ever more bloated. The fact that this financial capital is the largest shareholder of the ‘Republic of Korea (ROK)’ chaebols and major corporations proves that our people are by no means free from the chains of war and plunder.
Let us succeed the May Day spirit, win fundamental labor rights, and overthrow imperialism! In the late 19th century, when imperialism was bent on colonizing the Third World, plundering resources, and exploiting workers, US workers staged a general strike on May 1, 1886, demanding an 8-hour workday. Workers who have long opposed the oppression and exploitation of capital have advanced onto the world stage by fighting against imperialist domination and plunder, creating regimes of workers and the people. In this current era, the global exploitation and plunder by transnational capital demonstrate that the slogan “Workers of the World, Unite!” is both a science and a weapon. We, the workers and the masses, will sweep away the anti-labor and anti-people forces through popular uprisings and anti-imperialist struggles, and we will accelerate the realization of a true world for workers and the people—a world of people’s democracy.
