In Solidariy with the Korean Metal Workers’ Union at Hanjin Group’s Busan shipyard

The NTUI expresses its solidarity with the struggle of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) at the Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC), an affiliate of Hanjin Group, at its Busan, Korea, shipyard facility for its unfazed commitment to the protection of workers’ rights over the last six month demanding the withdrawal of the compulsory lay off programme imposed by HHIC’s management.

The ongoing protest was triggered by the ‘illegal’ termination of 400 workers in December 2010 through the unacceptable compulsory lay off programme on grounds that the company was suffering huge losses. This is a violation the company’s own employment stabilization agreement whereby it cannot fire workers as long as its overseas units are still in operation. The company further violated the Labour Standards Act of Korea whereby a company needs to undertake consultations with the workers’ trade union before dismissing employees, even if it is on the grounds of economic reasoning. We condemn such disrespect towards the law of the land.

The NTUI believes the actions at Busan are a part of HHIC’s strategy to shut its operations in Korea and move to overseas locations like the Philippines where labour laws are less strong. The ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention (ILO C155), which has not been ratified by the Philippines but has been ratified by Korea is a contributing factor to the shift. With at least 5000 work related accidents and 31 deaths since operations began in HHIC’s shipyard at Subic Freeport Zone, Philippines, the facilities of Korean shipbuilders in Philippines are known as the ‘graveyards of the workers’ rights’.

Since 6 January 2011, Kim Jin-Suk, HHIC’s first female welder who was ‘illegally’ terminated, has been staging a peaceful sit-in protest for over 170 days now atop a high hanging crane along with a few other colleagues strapped at lower levels of the crane. The company had cut off supply of essentials like food and power at the crane by engaging private security forces to prevent the supporters from accessing the crane and forcibly evicted many of them. This is a violation of the basic human rights of the individual(s) and, thus, we fully support the intervention of National Human Rights Commission, Korea and condemn the denial of the right to democratic dissent by HHIC. We also appreciate the initiative of the ‘Hope Bus’ by supporters of the shipyard workers seeking the extended support of workers’ across the country.

HHIC had forced the union to accept the layoff programme and intended to break the union in the process. In the Philippines, contractual workers seeking to unionize themselves have faced strong repressive management tactics. We condemn the practices of HHIC against workers’ right to organize, form trade unions and undertake collective bargaining in contradiction to the ILO core Conventions on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize (ILO C87) and Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining (ILO C98).

The NTUI supports the demands of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union which includes to withdraw voluntary redundancy mass dismissal; distribute performance-related pay of 2009 and 2010; secure the proper quantity for production to maintain workload; withdraw all accusing and charging to the union leaders and officials; stop unfair suspension of works; and follow the Collective Bargaining Agreement on the union activity.

The NTUI commends KMWU’s members’ courageous and continuous struggle at the HHIC Busan shipyard facility.