Sunday 9 Dec 2007
Solidarity with Migrant Trade Union
TEA-KOR urges the release of the three leaders of the Migrant Trade Union (MTU) on November 27. Copy of solidarity message.
TEA-KOR Teachers of English Abroad in Korea
Message of Solidarity (December 7, 2007)
Re: Crackdown and repression against the Migrant Trade Union leaders
TEA-KOR condemns the crackdown and repression against the Migrant Trade Union. We urge the immediate release of MTU President Kajiman, Vice President Raju and General Secretary Masum who were arrested on the morning of November 27.
TEA-KOR works against discrimination and abuse against foreign workers. These problems are extreme in many cases. They are systemic and the immigration authorities are implicitly if not directly permitting and supporting them. …
We strongly suspect that immigration authorities and some employers have created situations that result in the lack of documentation for certain foreign workers. For instance, they deliberately procrastinate and delay proceedings in some instances.
We view the (proposed/new) measures to screen criminals out of academies and schools such as pedaphiles with scepticism. For agencies and employers remain generally disregard the law and engage foreign teachers without due attention to employment standards. The (proposed/new) security measures therefore indicate an anti-foreigner bias. They stir up fear by framing the incident of the pedaphile as a national security issue rather than quality education and employment standards. In brief, teachers of English abroad in Korea are experiencing some of the crackdown against foreign workers.
In the experience of many foreign teachers living and working in South Korea, foreign workers are exploited as a source of cheap labor especially since their status as foreigners makes them more vulnerable. TEA-KOR therefore shares the desire to protect foreign workers and raise their employment and living standards.
In solidarity,
TEA-KOR