이랜드.. 투쟁 #2

Here the latest news about the current struggle of S.K. irregular workers against the E.Land/New Core/Homever exploiter-front:

E-Land Files Damage Lawsuit Against Union (K. Times, 7.10)

E-Land group, a giant fashion and retail outlet, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against its labor union and union members over business interference and damaging the company's facilities while on strike.

E-Land Retail, a subsidiary of the group, sued 60 members asking for 100 million won in compensation.

A company spokesman said that the unionists refused to negotiate with management over the non-regular workers' issues and their 13-day strike caused more than 270 million won in sales losses. He added that the loss would grow bigger once an exact investigation is conducted.

The company runs 33 outlets named Homever and other retail stores nationwide.

Thousands of workers occupied 13 chain stores in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province demanding job security and reinstatement of the 900 non-regular workers who were laid off.

The E-Land strike was brought about by the government's new labor bill that went into effect July 1. The bill was aimed at protecting roughly 5.5 million part-time and temporary workers, 35 percent of the total workforce here.

However, the employers have fired hundreds of part-time cashiers at its New Core department stores and outlets to replace them with outsourced workers, in direct opposition with the government's intention.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/07/117_6249.html

☞ E-Land Workers Start Boycott Campaign (K. Times, 7.09)