GM Labor Trouble
On December 16, GM Korea’s Changwon factory decided to temporarily suspend work for two days because a strike of subcontracted workers put its production line on hold.
The workers went on a strike as pink slips were given to a total of 369 temporary workers who worked for subcontractors whose contracts were terminated due to the change of four of eight subcontractors at GM Korea’s plant in Changwon, Korea.
The union believes that this incident directly cuts across lawsuits filed by five temporary workers of subcontractors in June to confirm their status.
The court ruled that the subcontract of GM Korea was illegal outsourcing, and the five temporary workers became full-time workers of GM Korea. Thereafter, the number of unionists who were temporary workers soared from 50 to 155.
GM Korea is at loggerheads with the union branch and its head that have waged a propaganda war inside and outside the company such as filing a lawsuit against them for an injunction such as a ban on work interferences.
During the process, GM Korean terminated contracts with four subcontractors with 105 unionists and the union side claimed that the management of GM Korea repressed the union, saying, "GM Korea terminated contracts with partners with many unionists."
In reference to this incident, "We will step up our struggle by striking for six hours beginning on December 14 and installing tents for sit-in strikers," said temporary workers in the GM Korea plant in Changwon, Korea said in a press conference on June 15. “We will also band together with the temporary worker branch of the Korea Metal Workers’ Union.”