Dram Man

F-ing Unions

I have time to write this quick message since the Korean railroad
workers union went on strike and thereby made me take a pricey KTX
express train.

First were/are the almost daily protests at the stations. Seoul
station for about three months last year was filled with some sleep-
in protest that only got in peoples way. Also to make matters worse
on this score, from what I hear the protesters are not even workers,
they are people literally hired to protest since the actual workers
are working (I wonder if protesters have a union). Then came the
"sticker" protests. Ignorant-ass protesters thought the best way to
drum up support with the public was to sneak into the yard at night
and plaster protest slogans on the trains that are difficult to peel
off. Finally is a personal problem with the union so to speak. I work
the government complex in Daejeon, which also happens to be home to
the management of the Korean National Railroad. Not only do they make
a nuisance of themselves by forcing the police to close the most
convenient entrances for me, but the insist on blasting protest music
at 5000 decibels which literally reverberates through the entire 20
story four building complex.

Now they insist on actually costing me money. You know I would be
more sympathetic to the Union in this strike if they did not
routinely engage in tactics such as above. Moreover I am actually
seriously debating doing a protest of my own. Who is with me? Who
wants to join me in a protest in front of the Railroad worker's HQ? I
will bring beer.

posted by Dram Man @ 8:57 AM