ID :
83463
Wed, 10/07/2009 - 15:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/83463
The shortlink copeid
(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on Oct. 7) - Watching the watchdogs
It appears that the labor union of the National Election Commission is too
political, triggering concerns about the election watchdog???s fairness.
Civil servants have the right to unionize, and their rights certainly must be
protected. However, they are public servants with official duties related to
state affairs, and it is only natural that their labor union activities are
restricted. The public servant unions, though, decided to join the politically
tilted Korean Confederation of Trade Unions - raising concerns about the
neutrality of civil servants.
The concern is particularly serious for civil servants working with the National
Election Commission. Political confrontations are most intense during elections,
and it is the duty of commission officials to oversee and ensure a fair election.
They are like referees in a sports game. When they support a political side en
masse - even if it???s just through their overall union affiliation - it is
impossible to expect that they will perform their duties properly.
Last July, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions issued newspaper
advertisements littered with political slogans such as: ???We protest against mad
cows. The administration aims to blow out candles by making public servants
praise President Lee Myung-bak and by blinding and deafening the people.???
Despite these clearly political ads, they went unpunished.
The Korean Democracy Government Employees??? Union, an umbrella group that covers
the unionized civil servants of the National Election Commission, has also issued
statements and comments that are extremely critical of the administration.
"The administration must stop fraud against the nation,??? one of these
statements said. ???We are servants of the Korean people, and we refuse to become
servants of the administration,??? another said.
In other statements, the umbrella group has demanded that the GNP ???ban the
nomination of resigned local autonomous government heads.???
How can we expect them to fairly manage an election, when the union they belong
to has blatantly sounded off about political issues and elections in the past? Of
the 1,803 rank-and-file public servants on the election commission who are
eligible to join the union, 1,786 - more than 99 percent - have done so. If they
follow the guidelines of the KCTU, which has a history of militant political
fights, the outcome is easy to guess.
It's abundantly clear that the National Assembly and the administration must now
come up with a systemic measure to guarantee political neutrality of civil
servants, particularly the election watchdog officials.
(END)
political, triggering concerns about the election watchdog???s fairness.
Civil servants have the right to unionize, and their rights certainly must be
protected. However, they are public servants with official duties related to
state affairs, and it is only natural that their labor union activities are
restricted. The public servant unions, though, decided to join the politically
tilted Korean Confederation of Trade Unions - raising concerns about the
neutrality of civil servants.
The concern is particularly serious for civil servants working with the National
Election Commission. Political confrontations are most intense during elections,
and it is the duty of commission officials to oversee and ensure a fair election.
They are like referees in a sports game. When they support a political side en
masse - even if it???s just through their overall union affiliation - it is
impossible to expect that they will perform their duties properly.
Last July, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions issued newspaper
advertisements littered with political slogans such as: ???We protest against mad
cows. The administration aims to blow out candles by making public servants
praise President Lee Myung-bak and by blinding and deafening the people.???
Despite these clearly political ads, they went unpunished.
The Korean Democracy Government Employees??? Union, an umbrella group that covers
the unionized civil servants of the National Election Commission, has also issued
statements and comments that are extremely critical of the administration.
"The administration must stop fraud against the nation,??? one of these
statements said. ???We are servants of the Korean people, and we refuse to become
servants of the administration,??? another said.
In other statements, the umbrella group has demanded that the GNP ???ban the
nomination of resigned local autonomous government heads.???
How can we expect them to fairly manage an election, when the union they belong
to has blatantly sounded off about political issues and elections in the past? Of
the 1,803 rank-and-file public servants on the election commission who are
eligible to join the union, 1,786 - more than 99 percent - have done so. If they
follow the guidelines of the KCTU, which has a history of militant political
fights, the outcome is easy to guess.
It's abundantly clear that the National Assembly and the administration must now
come up with a systemic measure to guarantee political neutrality of civil
servants, particularly the election watchdog officials.
(END)
