Chief of gov't employees union faces dismissal

SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday its
disciplinary committee has decided to dismiss the chief of an integrated civil
employees union, tentatively called the Korean Government Employees' Union
(KGEU), for taking part in an anti-government rally in July.
The decision to dismiss Yang Sung-yun, a low-ranking employee at the Yangcheon-gu
Office, is expected to further escalate conflict between the government and the
unionized civil workers, labor affairs watchers forecast.
Yang, 46, was elected last week as the head of the KGEU, which recently came into
being as the result of a merger of three separate unions representing government
workers.
The merger, as well as a decision by the KGEU in September to join a militant
labor umbrella group, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, have enraged the
government of President Lee Myung-bak. Refusing to acknowledge the KGEU as a
legal labor union, the labor and public administration ministries have repeatedly
warned the unionized civil workers not to engage in any political or
anti-government activities.
Following the election of Yang as its chief, the KGEU is scheduled to be formally
launched early next month with an estimated membership of 160,000 workers.
According to Seoul officials, Yang is accused of participating in an
anti-government rally held in downtown Seoul in July to protest the Lee
government's attempts to revise media bills and renovate major river basins.
But Yang vowed to mobilize all possible legal and other means to fight the Seoul
government's disciplinary decision against him.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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