News

Workers at the Catholic University of Korea Incheon St Mary's Hospital Union hospital continue in their struggle to stamp out anti union hostility in their workplace.

Over the past few months, the situation has reached a critical point. 

The workers' union, the Korean Health and Medical Workers Union (KHMU), has submitted a petition to National Human Rights Commission, and are awaiting a judgement; the KHMU and the New Politics Alliance jointly held a special public forum about the hospital's problematic union busting history, including the ongoing harassment of a shop steward Hong Myeong-ock (pictured), and the problems resulting from the Hospital's for-profit management approach. Along with anti-worker, anti-union practices, the hospital is also accused of illegal practices such as submitting claims on behalf of the family and friends of staff, who may not in fact have been patients of the hospital.

The Catholic Church has been vocal about the situation of workers, particularly the right of workers to decide freely about union representation (read the church's advice here). The church has also recently appealed to the US senate on behalf of low paid workers, including fast food and home care workers, about the need for decent wages and decent lives for working people. The actions of management at the Catholic University of Korea Incheon are at odds with these sentiments. 

Despite the actions already taken by the KHMU there has been no improvement in dialogue with the Hospital and the KHMU is now considering all options to take this up with decision makers within the Catholic Church.

Read about the history of the struggle here.

Watch two tv news reports about the allegations of illegal practices at the hospital here and here.