PSPD in English Socio-Economic 2009-07-30   1619

Forum Asia “Stop Crackdown on Striking Workers of the Ssangyong Motor Company!”



29 July 2009, Bangkok


Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the brutal crackdown on the striking workers of the Ssangyong Motor Company by the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Ssangyong Motor Company. We call for genuine tripartite negotiations between the workers, the Government and the Ssangyong Motor Company and for an end to the repressive measures being used against the striking workers.


Last April, Ssangyong Motor Company fired around three thousand workers during their structural adjustment process. Subsequent negotiations between the company and the labour union failed to produce an agreement that was satisfactory for both sides. As a consequence, the workers and the labour union went on a strike and occupied the Pyungtaek factory of the Ssangyong Motor Company. As of today, the strike has lasted for 69 days.


The workers and the labour union demanded that the Government and the motor company take genuine steps to negotiate a fair and just settlement. However, rather than playing the role of an impartial arbitrator, the Government dispatched police forces to crack down on the striking workers, firing tear gas from helicopters and using taser guns against them, which resulted in one worker being shot in the face. In the meantime, the company failed to attend a pre-arranged meeting with the labour union on 25th July.


During this strike, two workers have died because of extreme stress from the dismissal and another two workers who had accepted voluntary redundancy committed suicide. Furthermore, it is not only the workers but also their family members who are suffering under this situation. On 20 July, the wife of a labour union member committed suicide due to mental stress because of financial difficulties and threats of legal action from the company. While five people have died during this catastrophic situation, the Ssangyong Motor Company keeps vilifying the striking workers as criminals and has not demonstrated any goodwill by trying to find a satisfactory solution to the problems.


From 16th July until now, supplies of water including drinking water and water for fire extinguishers, gas and food have been stopped by the company and the police.[1] Civil society’s and opposition political parties’ efforts to deliver water and food inside the factory have been continuously blocked by the company. Even medical personnel could not enter the occupied factory. There are estimated to be around 100 injured people inside the factory who are unable to receive vital medical treatment. Many of them are suffering from extensive bruising and fractured ribs, inflicted during the police crackdown. One of the workers has diabetes and requires a constant supply of insulin which he has been unable to obtain for the last 15 days.


FORUM-ASIA strongly urges the Government and the Ssangyong Motor Company to immediately restore access to medical treatment, water, food and electricity for the striking workers. We denounce and call on the Government to immediately end the heavy-handed crackdown. Ssangyong Motor Company’s situation should be resolved through peaceful negotiations, not through violence.


The Republic of Korea is a member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the right to strike is held by the ILO supervisory bodies to be a fundamental right of workers. Furthermore, in its concluding observations to the Republic of Korea in 2001, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) expressed its grave concerns about the unacceptable approach taken to criminalise strikes and the use of excessive force by the police against labour demonstrations.  


We would like to remind the Government of the Republic of Korea that in November 2009, the country will again be under review by the UN CESCR. There is no doubt that the current situation involving the Ssangyong Motor Company will be raised during this review process.


FORUM-ASIA is regional human rights organisation with 46 members across Asia.

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