We send you this newsletter out of a sense of urgency. The workers at
Daewoo Motors have been on strike against the lay-offs of 1750 workers since
the 16th of February.
The government has brutally repressed the workers, sending in
riot police to break up the strike at the factory. Workers,
students, and social movement activists have been engaged in an all-out
battle against the government ever since, resulting in the arrest of dozens
and the injury of hundreds. The people of Korea need your solidarity
to overcome this attack by the government. Send your messages of
support to the workers at Daewoo. Send your messages of
protest to the Korea government and police. Organize actions at Korea
Embassies. An injury to one is an injury to all!
More information on the Daewoo Struggle:
http://dwtubon.nodong.net/english/
The Daewoo workers need you Support!!
Solidarity to the Workers at Daewoo Motors!!
The Daewoo workers have declared an all out struggle against
the largest lay-offs ever in Korea, amidst brutal suppression
from the government. The workers of Daewoo Motors had already been
several strikes on and off during the last 9 months, but the struggle
reached its peak on the 16th of February as the union announced an
indefinite general strike against management's official announcement
that 1,750 workers would be layed off. The management had made some
revisions to its demands, for example, insisting that 400 of the 1,780
will be given 2 year leave without wages, but the union did not make
any compromises.
The management has shut down the Bu-pyung plant where all
of 1,750 to be laid off are working, but the union has called for the
workers to keep working, organize education sessions and struggles. The
police sent 2,000 riot police to the Bu-pyung plant and blocked the gates
to prevent the workers who, having received their 'pink-slips' by post,
came to the plant to join the demonstrations. Family members of
the laid-off workers have also come to the plant in anguish to join forces
with the striking workers. The management hired 300 'security' thugs to fight
the workers, and on 19th February, the government took affirmative action
and sent thousands of riot police to the plant to bread up the
strike. The police thoroughly ignored the children of the workers who
had come hanging on their mothers' backs, broke through the gates and
forcefully dispersed the workers, causing many injuries.
After the suppression of the struggle at the Bu-Pyung plant,
the workers are now out on the streets. On the 20th, 2,000
workers and students demonstrated at the Bupyeong Station and fought
vigorously with molotov cocktails. They continued onto the next day.
But the police closed off and blocked the demonstrators even
before they had commenced. The demonstrators instead ran onto
the highway and marched approximately 2km towards Seoul. On
the 23rd, one worker who could not bear out the burden of being
laid-off committed suicide. On the 24th, the police once again chased the
workers and students who were trying to come together at the Bu-pyung
Station. Some demonstrators were even driven onto the rails and were
injured. The demonstrators then took over a road but were chased again into
a nearby university and fought until dusk. 8 buses with supporting
workers and family members also joined the barricades. More than 2,000
workers fought around the country the same day.
We are witnessing once again, how the economic crisis is
brought on and used by the capitalist to throw workers onto the streets,
weaken workers' power and bloat the wealth in their pockets. The
brutality of the riot police brought out once again the essence of the Kim
government, who came into power with sweet advertisements of democracy, as
he shattered all hopes and
immediately started his neo-liberal regime. Although it is evident
whose side the government is on, the abrupt and pitiless violence
shown towards the Daewoo workers came as a shock. The workers, who have
nothing more to lose, are fighting back.
Along with the struggles at the plant, KCTU and other
progressive organizations have formed Daewoo Motors Joint
Struggle Headquarters to assist the workers struggles at the same time
calling for the arrest of the Daewoo chairman, Kim Woo-Chung. Early
morning on 9th February, 50 members of 'Daewoo Motors Joint Struggle
Headquarters Arrest Squad'
occupied the luxurious house of the Daewoo chairman, Kim
Woo-Chung, calling for the his arrest, on multiple charges
against him in connection with the dismantled conglomerate's huge
financial scams. Although the allegations have been proven to be true, the
Korean government is not making efforts to bring Kim home. About one month
ago, the Korean news broadcasted pictures of Kim leisurely playing
golf somewhere in sunny California, although he seems to have moved
now either to Europe, Morocco or Sudan. The Arrest Squad sent its members
to Europe on the 23rd, in search for the 'fugitive' and force him to come
home and face the charges. The Joint Struggle Headquarters
have made contact with the International Metallic Workers Federation for
assistance, and have sent multi-lingual 'Wanted' posters to foreign
organizations and unions. The 'Wanted' not only aims at the arrest of
Kim but also for the confiscation of the wealth he had illegally
accumulated and to publicize the collaboration of the Kim Dae-Jung
government.
Their objective of arresting Kim is really symbolic - they will be
meeting with various anti neo-liberal groups and trade unions to
call for international solidarity.
The struggle continues as the Joint Struggle Headquarters has
organized daily demonstrations. The struggle is gaining strength as
more and more workers, students, and activists are joining the
demonstrations. The struggle moved to Seoul today, as about 3000
participants gathered to denounce the government's actions.
Protestors threw rocks and molotov cocktails at police, again
engaging in violent and intense clashes with police, which have
become routine during the past week. The oppression from the government is
also becoming more severe, as police have outlawed all demonstrations
in the Bu-pyung area and dozens have been arrested during the
demonstrations. We will keep you updated on the results of the
struggles.
Your solidarity and interest would be a great help to the
workers' struggle in Korea. Please send your words of solidarity to
the Daewoo Motors Joint Struggle Headquarters
dwtubon@jinbo.net
