Korean Union Solidarity with Indonesian Sugar Workers

Posted to the IUF website 23-Aug-2005

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On August 19, A delegation of Korean trade unionists formally met with the Indonesian Ambassador to Korea and other diplomatic representatives at the Indonesian embassy in Seoul to express their support for the IUF-affiliated Indonesian sugar workers' federation FSPM-TG. The delegation, made up of Sang-hyun Son (Solidarity Director of the IUF-affiliated Korean Federation of Service Workers' Unions), Gil-seong Oh (Vice President of the national center KCTU), Chang-keun Lee (KCTU International Director) and Hyewon Chong (IUF representative in Korea) called on the government of Indonesia to cease harassment of the new federation and demanded the reinstatement of sacked FSPM-TG President Daud Sukamto at the privately-owned Gunung Madu Plantation and an end to union-busting at the state-owned PTPN complexes.

The Korean solidarity action followed on simultaneous union protests on August 2 in Melbourne, New York, Toronto, Canberra and Wellington and a demonstration by the Hong Kong HKCTU outside the offices of Kerry Holdings, the investment fund owned by Robert Kuok whose Kuok Investment Group has a 45% stake in Gunung Madu.

For full background on repression against the IUF sugar workers federation, and to support the struggle for union rights by sending a protest message to the government of Indonesia and the Gunung Madu company, click here.