South Korea - strike

Korean workers end violent 77 day sit-in

Article published on the 2009-08-06 Latest update 2009-08-07 07:56 TU

Management and workers sign agreement.
Photo: Reuters

Workers are ending a 77 day sit-in in which they had been protesting against being made redundant after the shut down of a South Korean auto-plant, managers said Thursday. Violent clashes with police and the plant's security occurred, with some workers seriously injured. Medical care as well as food and water were denied to those protesting, according to Korean Metal Workers Union (KMWU).

The company has agreed to offer long-term leave of absence to 48 per cent of about 970 workers who refused redundancy.

The carmaker's survival is looking gloom with the sit-in costing nearly 316 billion won (1.8 million euros) in lost production.

During the sit-in, strikers battled riot police with catapults, fire bombs and steel pipes, while the police used tear gas and tasers.

According to the KMWU, strikers occupying the paint shop of the factory were denied basic needs. Food being sent to the strikers was blocked and gas and water supplies were cut off, according to the union.

As a result strikers could not cook, drink, wash wounds orrinse off dichloromethane based chemical substances which the KMWU claim police used on workers. The substance is said to be eating into some of the workers bodies.

Strikers were also denied medical assistants and supplies leaving wounds to remain unstitched, bones to be broken and workers with chronic illnesses to run out of medicine, the union claims, adding that doctors were only once allowed in to treat two men who had been injured by tasers. One had to have to have the tip of the taser gun removed from his face.

Several of the factory's creditors  are demanding that the carmaker go into liquidation in a bid to recoup debts. A court is expected to postpone its decision until after 15 September after the company submits its restructuring plan.