Some Union Members of GM Korea Disgruntled Over Prolonged Conflict

With the plannd launch of a new R&D corporation only one week away, the conflict between GM Korea's labor and management over the new R&D entity is not showing any sign of being resolved.

As three-part talks among the labor, management and Korea Development Bank (KDB) proposed by the KDB have been aborted, the company's labor and management are not preparing to create even an opportunity for a negotiation.

The union filed for the second labor dispute mediation with the Central Labor Relations Commission on Nov. 2. On Nov. 21, the leadership of the union entered a hunger strike. "The spin-off of the R&D corporation from GM Korea can create a problem that would seriously affect unionists’ right to survive in the future as well as now," the union said. “Management's unilateral push for the spin-off plan without discussing it with the union is not acceptable.”

Ignoring the labor union's opposition, GM Korea is speeding up the launch of the new corporation, GM Technical Center Korea.

Some union members reportedly expressed their dissatisfaction as the conflict between the labor and management became prolonged even without the two sides going to the negotiation table. This was because not only the management but also the KDB and political circles became cynical about the union’s hard line.

In the meantime, General Motors, the parent company of GM Korea, appointed some executive officers of GM, including Roberto Rempel, chief engineer of GM, as directors of the new corporation on Nov. 21.

GM is planning to launch GM Technical Center Korea on Dec. 3 as scheduled.