Special message in solidarity to nurses around the
world on the occasion of International Nurses Day (May 12)
Fighting against
Infectious Diseases at the Front Line,
We Shall Get Over
Greed of Capitalists and Be United beyond National Borders.
○ In celebration
of the Year 2021 International Nurses Day, we at the Korean Health and Medical
Workers’ Union (the KHMU) would send warmest greetings of appreciations in
solidarity to nurses fighting COVID-19 around the world.
○ Over the past
year and three months, COVID-19 pandemics have brought about a plenty of
challenges to the entire human race. COVID-19 has clearly illustrated the
future direction that the Korean health and medical system should take. With
that in mind, the KHMU held the 2nd round of ad-hoc congress on
April 29 and finalize our requests to be submitted at the industry-level
collective bargaining: 1. Establish a infectious disease response system and
expand the public medical services 2. Root out illegal practices and increase
employment levels in hospitals 3. Improve shift work systems and phase in a
four-day workweek system.
○ We also have put
an emphasis on active roles of the government in overcoming COVID-19 crises and
mapping out a infectious disease response system. Hence, we will continue to
propose our requests to and negotiate with the government, while being firm in
our positions at industry-level negotiations with employers and organizing
powerful struggles at the industry-level. Plus, we will make sure the agenda of
the collective bargaining will be socially responsible for health and safety of
people. If our requests are not accepted by them despite all our efforts
mentioned above, we will organize the general strike in early September.
○ We painfully learned from COVID-19 pandemic
that human being is all connected as one at the global village. On the occasion
of International Nurses Day, we would like to highlight the importance of
solidarity among workers across the world, proposing you, our nurse brothers
and sisters around the world to join in the following actions:
○ First, let’s
fight for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments for ALL. Today, anyone can never be
safe unless all in the world is safe. It should be ensured that everyone is
accessible to free vaccines and treatments anywhere in the world. Nurses
fighting at the front line should raise one voice that COVID-19 vaccine should
be considered public goods for all. The World Trade Organization must suspend
the application of TRIPS to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Such vaccines and
treatments should be exempted from patents. Let’s urge each government to
endorse fast and efficient production and use of COVID-19 vaccines and
treatments to be offered to everyone in need.
○ Second, let’s
try to give pressures to each
government to ratify ILO’s Nursing Personnel Convention no. 149. This year, the
ILO will collect country reports from its member
states and write a comprehensive report on this convention. Trade unions in the
health and medical sector of each country should intervene and participate in
the reporting process and act to revise the convention into one reflective of
today’s pandemic situations.
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○ Third, let’s
fight for the 32-hour workweek system (4-day workweek system). It is more
pressing than any other times to increase the number of nursing staff to ensure
nurses’ rights to labor, health and safety. Most of workers in hospitals are
suffering due to irregular shift work, night shift and emotional stresses. In
Korea, the law set working hours at 40 hours per week at the moment. But, we at
the KHMU insist that working hours per week should decrease to 32 hours or 4
days per week, which will advance better working conditions and more jobs for
health and medical workers.
○ Fourth, let’s
fight together to secure a sufficient level of workers, remove irregular job
positions and improve working conditions. To ensure the number of nursing staff
is enough, the ratio of nurse per patient should be set by law. Health and
medical workers treat lives of people. Such services should be taken care of by
responsible regular and permanent workers. Contract workers in charge of
permanent and continued services should be re-hired as permanent workers. Also,
let’s work together to give pressures to improve shift work systems and secure
a sufficient level of nursing staff.
○ Fifth, let’s
take the lead in saving the earth out of such climate crises as did we to save
lives of people from infectious diseases. Climate changes have facilitated the
spread of infectious diseases. We have to make joint efforts to protect lives
of people and to make our society sustainable. Joint actions are integral part
of the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, increase renewable energy sources
and uses, and use energy in more efficient ways.
○ Virus easily fly
across borders. True solidary among workers should go beyond greed of capital,
nations and borders, seeking universal values of human being. Fighting and
struggling workers have changed the world and history. Let’s struggle in
solidarity, walking toward more just and more equal society.
May 12, 2021
The Korean Health
and Medical Workers’ Union