CINA

본문

Allianz set to fire 106 unionists (K. Herald, 3.28) 
 
A foreign life insurance company(*) here is set to layoff up to 40 percent of its branch heads, or 106 unionized workers, who have been on strike for over two months in protest of a new wage system.

Allianz Life Insurance Korea, the second-largest foreign life insurer in assets, said it will dismiss all 106 out of 267 branch chiefs involved in the "illegal strike," if the unionized workers fail to return to work by Monday. However, the strikers were requested to report of their possible return to the company by yesterday.

A management committee meeting will be held on Tuesday to finalize the decision on the dismissal, company officials said.

The company's labor union said it is bracing to take legal actions against the management if the company proceeds with the firings. The branch chiefs have been on a strike since Jan. 23.

In Korea, it is unprecedented for a company in the financial sector to go forward with such a massive layoff.

The unionized workers are against the company's unilateral decision to introduce a new performance-based wage system, which values one's performance over seniority.

"The reason for this walkout lies in the fact that the management did not inform or negotiate with its workers and labor union on the new salary system in advance," the company's labor union said.

"For the branch chiefs, taking part in the strike is more like self-defense, something similar to emergency evacuation."

So far, two committee meetings have been launched to determine the level of disciplinary punishment on the unionized employees and 52 are already on the layoff list, according to Allianz officials.

"Currently, all of them are taking collective action, heading to Jeju Island by boat, and it seems difficult to expect their return on time," a company official said.

On March 21, Allianz President Cheong Mun-kuk issued a stern warning that the company would punish the striking workers if they fail to return to work by 9 a.m., March 24.

Cheong again released a statement on March 24, saying the company will grant leniency to those who came back to work by yesterday. Only 53 workers have returned as of 3 p.m. Friday, still short of 106 branch heads.

Under a company rule, the company is allowed to dismiss a non-unionized worker who has been absent from work for 15 days or more.

Although the labor union claims the strike is legal, its management said it will not hold any negotiations with the union until they come back to work.

Related stuff:

☞ 알리안츠생명보험 노동조합 파업 (3.28, video docu)

☞ Allianz Korea Union on strike.. (uni global union, 1.25)

☞ Allianz refuses dialogue with its striking workers (uni g.u., 3.24)

* For more informations about..

☞ Allianz (Wikipedia)