Because it allows dismissed and retired workers in its membership, the Korea Teacher Union (KTU), one of EI's members in Korea, is threatened with delegalisation. In a communication issued by the Minister of Employment and Labor, KTU was informed it has until 23 October 2013 to amend its by-laws. If failing to do so, it will be deregistered.
The public service union KGEU is facing a similar issue. For the 4th consecutive time KGEU has been denied registration because its constitution provides for retired and dismissed workers to be members.
EI stands side by its affiliate and has addressed a letter to head of Government Park Geun-hye to protest this interference in trade union affairs. EI is to launch an Urgent Action Appeal, jointly with the International Trade Union Confederation and with Public Services International.
Teachers in Korea have gathered in Seoul on 26 September to protest the threat of delegalisation facing their union. KTU President, Kim Jeonghun, also started a hunger strike to draw media attention to the union issue.
The registration of KTU in 1999 was a result of the trade union pressure which had conditioned the membership of Korea to the OECD to the full respect of workers rights. Over the years however, the successive Korean Government administration have failed to abide by their commitment to respect international labour standards. Recently, Korea has also ignored the recommendations of the ILO.
EI consistently supports its member organisations worldwide fighting for exercising the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining of the teachers and education workers they represent. EI has expressed solidarity with KTU in its effort to develop a constructive dialogue with the Government. In the specific issue regarding whether a retired worker can be union member, the ILO convention 87 on freedom of association states that the standard applies to all workers “without distinction whatsoever”. ILO convention covers as well active as retired workers. In its jurisprudence, the ILO concluded in 2005, that the scope of freedom of association applies to all workers and public servants, including dismissed or retired workers, unemployed, self-employed and apprentices and disabled workers. Therefore, the right to decide whether or not a trade union should represent retired workers for the defence of their specific interests is a question pertaining only to the internal autonomy of all trade unions.