Une procédure de licenciement a été engagée pour des milliers de grévistes et des mandats d’arrêts contre des dirigeants syndicaux dont certains ont trouvé refuge dans un temple bouddhiste. Le gouvernement sud-coréen a choisi d’employer la manière forte dans le bras de fer qui l’oppose aux cheminots de l’entreprise publique Korail. La grève, la plus longue de l’histoire des chemins de fer sud-coréens, a débuté il y a 19 jours. Ce 27 décembre au matin, l’entreprise lance un nouvel ultimatum aux grévistes.

En Corée du Sud, 8 600 salarié-e-s de Korail (Korean Rail, la SNCF coréenne) se sont mis en grève reconductible à compter du 9 décembre, suite à l’annonce d’un plan de privatisation d’une nouvelle ligne de chemin de fer par la direction. Il s’agit de la plus longue grève de l’histoire de Korail. Le syndicat des cheminots KRWU (Korean Reailway Workers’ Union) s’oppose au projet car il marque la première marche vers la privatisation générale du rail en Corée. Cette mobilisation s’inscrit dans un contexte de crise politique grave du gouvernement de PARK Geun-hye, et pourrait déborder sur des revendications plus larges.

Un contexte de recul de la démocratie politique en Corée du Sud

Il y a un an, le 19 décembre 2012, PARK Geun-hye a été élue première femme présidente de Corée du Sud. Mais sa légitimité a été remise en question dès son arrivé au pouvoir car les élections ont été truquées et manipulées par l’intervention illégale des services secrets (la NIS - National Intelligence Service) sur les réseaux sociaux. Les Coréen-ne-s ont commencé à protester dès cet été à Séoul en organisant des rassemblements pour une enquête approfondie et l’invalidation de l’élection présidentielle de 2012. Néanmoins, la réponse du gouvernement sud-coréen s’est traduite par une chasse aux sorcières, qui a été conclue par la dissolution du Parti Progressif Unifié (Unified Progressive Party) et l’arrestation de son dirigeant. Dans la foulée, le 24 octobre 2013, le gouvernement a rendu illégal le syndicat des enseignants (KTU, Korean Teachers’ Union). Pour cette raison, lors de la visite de PARK Geun-hye en Europe en novembre et l’anniversaire de son élection corrompue en décembre, les Coréen-ne-s se sont réunis à Séoul, mais aussi dans le monde entier y compris à Paris pour exiger sa démission et de nouvelles élections.

The taxicab industry, meanwhile, hailed relaxed regulations as a needed step to create parity between the traditional industry and the high-tech newcomers, said one cabdriver advocate.

“I would say that we’re halfway there now,” said Ron Blount, president of the Taxi Workers Alliance of Philadelphia. “For the taxicabs there’s some relief.”

Around 30 representatives from the various interests packed the PPA boardroom to present a letter lambasting the authority for lax enforcement against the ride-hailing companies, which operate illegaly in Philadelphia.

“It is unacceptable for the PPA to selectively enforce its regulations, inspections, permits, and very significant fees against only hardworking drivers and taxi medallion owners while unfairly allowing billion dollar corporations like Uber and Lyft to operate illegally with no regulatory oversight and no payment of fees and permits in Philadelphia counsel,” read the letter signed by Thomas Earle, CEO of the disability advocacy group Liberty Resources.

Philadelphia taxi and limousine drivers made their case against ride-sharing services like UberX and Lyft to the city’s district attorney during a face-to-face meeting Tuesday.

The groups are calling on law enforcement to crack down on the unregulated services.

The meeting came just days after a street protest which snarled traffic and confused drivers around Center City.

Taxi drivers are staging another protest in Center City against the presence of the Uber and Lyft car services in Philadelphia. Using their cars and bodies, drivers are blocking traffic at 15th and Market Streets on the west side of City Hall. Some drivers are staging a sit-in in middle of the intersection in an apparent attempt to get arrested. The taxi drivers are demanding that officials stop UberX and Lyft from working in the city, saying their drivers are taking work away from them. The protest coincides with a City Council meeting at City Hall. The Philadelphia Parking Authority, which regulates car passenger service in the city, has not authorized UberX and Lyft to operate here. Taxi and limousine drivers staged a traffic stopping protest around City Hall on Dec. 17.

We are Philadelphia Limousine Drivers. We want to address the PA State Senate, PUC, PPA and people of Philadelphia. We are filling this Change petition for stopping ILLEGAL ride sharing like Uber X & Lyft in city of Philadelphia. All of us work with Uber Black. We would like to create awareness in people of Philadelphia and people around the world about ride sharing companies (Uber & Lyft) or you can say TNC (Transportation Network Companies). We tried to raise our voice at different places but failed. Most of us are not well educated. We are requesting everyone to please come forward and help us fight the system which is taking food away from our tables. We aren’t getting justice and we need your help.

A pair of organizations of Philadelphia's taxi and limousine drivers mounted a protest Tuesday around City Hall, joined by drivers from Uber Black. The drivers protested what they call the illegal operation in the city of ridesharing services UberX and Lyft.

The Taxi Workers Alliance and the Philadelphia Limo Association carried out the protest, and have promised as many as 600 vehicles. Their demands include no more operation of UberX and Lyft for as long as they are illegal in Philadelphia, for the PPA and District Attorney to bring legal action against the services and for the mayor and City Council to do their part to stop their operation.

The strike in Philadelphia is just one of many strikes that have occurred internationally against Uber. Earlier this year, in June, protests against Uber in France turned violent and tires were seen burning. Uber cars were reportedly smashed with bats as well.

Drivers painted slogans on their windows — “UberBlack Lives Matter,” “Bernie Sanders said Uber is too big to go unregulated,” “Where is PPA?” et cetera — and chanted at the intersection of 15th and Market streets from late morning to early afternoon.