May Day 2000: International Working Class Day of Action
                                                                              proposed by Labor Net Korea

The last decades of the 20th century witness the enormous changes in every aspect of the global society. And, among these comes first neo-liberal globalization, under the impacts of which the very existence of working class worldwide is incessantly under attack.

However, some hopes are also seen in the slowly rising mass struggles of working class all over the globe: French public sector workers strike in 1995, Korean workers General Strike in 1996-97, US UPS strike in 1997, massive mobilization of EuroMarch in 1997 and 1999, and massive mobilization against the WTO in Seattle, 1999.

And moreover, the turn of the century is observing the continuation of global resistance in Davos, Bangkok and Washington. All these struggles are directed toward the global capitalism and its agencies: International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Orgnization. They show one lesson: the elimination of all these institution, not the reform, is the first step for better world. Only in the struggle and through the struggle, the alternative will emerge. Without struggle, talks and imagination cannot create any alternative.

Especially, another important lesson form the Seattle battle is the power of working class. If it had not been for massive mobilization, it would have ended in a small party for NGOs. But there in something more important than any other things: the trade union leaders didn't want any confrontation. Definitely, leaders of international unions sat with business leaders inside the Convention Center in Seattle, not with rank and file unionists.

This fact signifies the actual reality of trade unions and labor movements around the world. At the moment, most of prominent union leaders are entrapped with the ideology of social partnership and business unionism in their orientation, and in some case, bureaucratic practices and corruption prevail the union activities. All these constitute the blockades of development of independent and democratic labor movement.

In this context, we are faced with May Day, International Workingmen's Day. In 1886, US workers rallied to demand eight-hour working day, and victimized by the police brutalities. Today we see a massive movement for shorter working hours again. It's time for us, workers all around the world, to revive the revolutionary workers of the 19th century and to fight back with global capitalism and its agencies. That's what we have to get to our mind this coming May Day 2000.

In the more and more globalize economies, the international solidarity of working class is all the more important and vital, and it is the way to revive the spirit of founders of May Day. To this purpose, the NodongNet, LaborNet Korea, propose the May Day 2000 Project, which through Internet will link workers and their struggle on May Day, thereby enhancing the international solidarity of workers all around the world.

Workers of all lands, join this project!

Workers of all lands, UNITE!!!

NodongNet, LaborNet Korea 

[May Day in Korea]