16 KHMU leaders shaved their heads,

Protesting the privatization of healthcare services

On 25 February, KHMU held its rally to protest the government policy of healthcare privatization in Seoul with its 2,000 members. In this rally, 16 KHMU leaders shaved their heads to show their determinations against the government policy which would destroy the healthcare system in Korea.

Yoo Ji-hyun, KHMU President said, “The government policy of healthcare privatization is the prerogative for Korean conglomerates (chaebols) and will result in the skyrocket rise of hospital bills, overtreatment, the destruction of National Health Insurance, and the polarization of medical services. At the same time, the policy is a labor repression to coerce health workers to bend our knees to inhumane competition and commodification. To defend our workplace and popular health from profit-seeking capitals is the mission of health workers and the order for 44,000 KHMU members given by people and society. We need to stop the government policy of healthcare privatization even through our nation-wide strike.”

In 18 and 19 February KHMU held its annual national congress to finalize its struggle schedule as follows: implementing of one-million sign campaign; starting of its national collective bargaining in March; holding of a national rally against healthcare privatization in April; organizing one-day training for ordinary members in April; staging a nation-wide strike in June.

At the same, the KHMU national congress decided to join the mass rally to protest the government restructuring policy, which would be organized by public sector unions on 22 March.  ( more info:  http://bogun.nodong.org/english/ )