PSPD in English Socio-Economic 2010-11-02   2271

After long-term strike of Kiryung Electronics, direct hire compromised!

After long-term strike of Kiryung Electronics, direct hire compromised!


It should be a stepping stone for solving the problems of non-permanent labors and stopping illegal dispatch!
 
Finally the argument of non-permanent labors of Kiryung Electronics ended. Kim So-yeon, head of the Kiryung Electronics branch of the Korean Metal Workers‘ Union, and Choi Dong-yeol, Chief Director of Kiryung announced an agreement to employ them directly, withdraw lawsuits filed, pay wages during the time of being fired at a ceremony in a restaurant at the National assembly on November 2.
 
It has been 1895 day-struggle to reach an agreement since the Ministry of Labor decided an illegal dispatch in August, 2005. Non-permanent female workers with having their hair shaved, lawsuits, and hunger strikes to fight against the management have become a symbol of the fighter. The worksite of Kiryung Electonics has become a symbol of illegal dispatch.

Starting from 200 people, only 10 people kept striking for the last minute over 5 years while going through various hardships. It is hard to recall the struggling days without shedding tears.
 
PSPD wants to congrat on the agreement about employing irregular laborers directly and warmly welcome the company’s decision. We expect that this agreement to be a stepping stone for solving the problems of non-permanent laborers and stopping illegal dispatch.
 
Although Kiryung Electronics cannot employ dispatched laborers in the manufacturing line, Kiryung Electronics hired dispatched labors without hiring permanent workers. The ministry of labor judged that it was illegal dispatch in July, 2005. However, the company paid a fine of 5 mil. won to avoid taking its responsibility. Rather, laborers who were the victims of illegal dispatch were dismissed.

At that time, the law of diapatched law regulated that a company which employed dispatched labors more than two years has responsibility to hire directly. The Ministry of Labor and the court interpreted the law narrowly by ignoring illegal dispatched labors who worked less than 2 years. Irregular workers who are the victims of illegal dispatch had to quit their jobs because of the government official which was inattentive to the problem and the company making ill use of the law.
 
The problem about illegal dispatch not only belongs to the laborers at Kiryung Electronics. Dong-hee automobiles, the case of subcontract in Automaker Hyundai also faces the same problems. Companies make ill use of labor law to employ laborers at lower price and shrink their responsibilities for laborers.

Even if laborers succeed in leading a judgment of illegal dispatch through struggles, the companies do not have any obligation of hiring directly and converting non-permanent workers into permanent worekrs only with paying fines.
 
During an interview with a news media right after reaching an agreement.
, Kim So-yeon, head of the Kiryung Electronics branch of the Korean Metal Workers‘ Union, said, “Direct hire of dispatched laborers is a problem of social conscience beyond legal problem” and  she also never forgot to point out that “It is also a problem that our society is generous to low wage and unstable labor.”
 
Even though it is late to have reached this agreement, with this as a momentum the government is expected to cease relaxing the period of fixed-term workers and expanding the range of business that can hire dispatched laborers causing employment insecurity.
Also the laws and systems should be changed for protecting the illegally dispatched laborers like those in Kiryung Electronics.

We truly welcome and support the agreement of the direct hire of laborers in a branch of Kiryung Electronics compromised which will be a stepping stone to solve the problems of irregular workers.
 

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