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22 February, 2001The past week has seen considerable resistance by Daewoo workers and the police, as unions fight for job security and an end to neoliberal policies.
KOREA, REP: On February 19, after a four-day sit-in protest by hundreds of laid off workers at Daewoo Motor Co.'s Pupyong plant, 1,000 riot police using forklifts to remove barricades forcefully entered the plant, with 3,100 others encircling the building from the outside. Workers, their wives and children were surrounded by the police. Although most of the workers managed to reach safety, 80 were arrested and the police occupied the building.
At a rally on February 20, the president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Dan Byong-ho, declared an all-out struggle against the government of Kim Dae-jung, saying "it is implementing neoliberalism by dismissing Daewoo autoworkers by force for the interests of General Motors and transnational companies. The government is selling workers' lives to TNCs. The government uses violent measures not for the criminal former Daewoo CEO, Kim Woo--choong, but against workers. Now the KCTU is declaring a struggle to get the resignation of the Kim Dae-jung government." Protesters, on their way to recapture the plant, were supported and applauded in the streets by bystanders. However when they were met by club-wielding riot police, workers resisted with iron pipes and firebottles. Over 20 arrests were made, and metalworkers in other regions began striking to protest the government's violence. 1,500 Daewoo autoworkers in Changwon went on a 4-hour strike, 500 Daewoo autoworkers in Pusan did likewise, and 300 Daewoo autoworkers in Kunsan struck for two hours.
On February 21, 3,000 workers and students gathered at the Pupyong subway station, where police made approximately 85 arrests. The leadership of the Daewoo autoworkers' union has been put on the police wanted list.
Of the four Daewoo vehicle-making plants, all dismissals have been at the Pupyong plant, west of Seoul. 7,000 workers used to be employed at this plant. 4,327 have been laid off since 1999, and on February 16, 2001, the company announced 1,785 further dismissals.
The resistance to these dismissals, led by the KMWF and the KCTU, is aiming not only to secure jobs but also to stop the neoliberal policies of the Kim government and TNCs. They are appealing for protest letters to be sent to the government and to organize protests in front of Korean embassies around the world.
Please send your letters to:
President Kim Dae-jung
Chung Wa Dae 1 Chung-ku
Seoul, Korea
Fax: ++82-2-770-0202
with a copy to the KMWF
Fax: +82-2-712-4253
E-mail: [email protected]
At a rally on February 20, the president of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Dan Byong-ho, declared an all-out struggle against the government of Kim Dae-jung, saying "it is implementing neoliberalism by dismissing Daewoo autoworkers by force for the interests of General Motors and transnational companies. The government is selling workers' lives to TNCs. The government uses violent measures not for the criminal former Daewoo CEO, Kim Woo--choong, but against workers. Now the KCTU is declaring a struggle to get the resignation of the Kim Dae-jung government." Protesters, on their way to recapture the plant, were supported and applauded in the streets by bystanders. However when they were met by club-wielding riot police, workers resisted with iron pipes and firebottles. Over 20 arrests were made, and metalworkers in other regions began striking to protest the government's violence. 1,500 Daewoo autoworkers in Changwon went on a 4-hour strike, 500 Daewoo autoworkers in Pusan did likewise, and 300 Daewoo autoworkers in Kunsan struck for two hours.
On February 21, 3,000 workers and students gathered at the Pupyong subway station, where police made approximately 85 arrests. The leadership of the Daewoo autoworkers' union has been put on the police wanted list.
Of the four Daewoo vehicle-making plants, all dismissals have been at the Pupyong plant, west of Seoul. 7,000 workers used to be employed at this plant. 4,327 have been laid off since 1999, and on February 16, 2001, the company announced 1,785 further dismissals.
The resistance to these dismissals, led by the KMWF and the KCTU, is aiming not only to secure jobs but also to stop the neoliberal policies of the Kim government and TNCs. They are appealing for protest letters to be sent to the government and to organize protests in front of Korean embassies around the world.
Please send your letters to:
President Kim Dae-jung
Chung Wa Dae 1 Chung-ku
Seoul, Korea
Fax: ++82-2-770-0202
with a copy to the KMWF
Fax: +82-2-712-4253
E-mail: [email protected]