CINA

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While the capitalists of E.Land Group have no intention to give up their hard-line policy against "their" irregular workers the struggle must/will continue until the demands of the Labour Union will be fulfilled! But meanwhile the S.K. govt., in behalf of the E.Land capitalists, is preparing to use its "only and best" mean to "solve" labour disputes/problems... by using STATE TERROR against the striking workers!!

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Latest news about the E.Land struggle/strike..

Today's bourgeois (conservative) JoongAng Ilbo published following article:

E.Land strike grinds on, no end in sight

Although there is nothing new about labor-management struggles in Korea, the ongoing strife at retail giant E.Land is a fresh chapter.
Unlike previous disputes involving wage complaints or work rule disputes, this incident was ignited by a new labor law giving greater rights to non-regular employees.

As a result civic groups say the strike carries moral force and is a test case for forcing companies to respect the new law.

 
When E.Land Group, an operator of the discount chains Homever and New Core, failed to renew the contracts of roughly 750 irregular workers before the new law went into effect, they were off the hook legally, but their union was enraged.
The group’s Homever and New Core affiliates let irregular workers ― mostly cashiers ― go because the new law that went into effect July 1 requires companies to change the status of all irregular workers who have worked for more than two years to regular workers.

The law was designed to protect irregular workers, who have an uncertain status and lower wages than regular workers despite working similar hours.
The union claims that those who were fired thought it was unfair and they occupied various store locations beginning June 30. Two flagship stores are still occupied, and police and management have been trying to lure the union members out of the two buildings.

 
On Sunday, union members at New Core shaved their heads in protest. “These are my coworkers and they are like my family,” said Kim In-sik, a manager of New Core’s Ilsan store, in explaining why he supports the dismissed contract workers.
Yesterday, E.Land union members continued their sit-in at the World Cup branch of Homever in northwest Seoul and at the Gangnam branch of New Core. The stores have been shut down for 18 days and 10 days, respectively.
Talks at the Seoul Labor Office between labor and management yesterday got nowhere, and there is no end to the dispute in sight.

 
Yesterday was the third try by the two sides to reach a deal. Labor and management met first on July 10, but the meeting lasted just three hours. On Saturday, the parties negotiated through the night, breaking up at 6 a.m. after 11 hours with no agreement other than a decision to conduct talks over Homever and New Core separately.

New Core management suggested that if all irregular workers were given regular jobs, they would cut wages by 2 to 3 percent this year in exchange for an end to the sit-in. The union rejected the offer.

Homever said yesterday that it would convert non-regular workers who have been working for more than one year to an employment status that offers wages based on performance incentives. Workers who have been with the company for more than 18 months would be guaranteed a regular job with fixed wages.

 
The union, however, demanded that all workers with two years tenure or more be converted to regular employees with fixed wages regardless of performance and that workers with three months tenure or more be guaranteed a job.

Unlike many union demonstrations, the public seems largely sympathetic to the E.Land employees. Many civic groups announced a boycott of E.Land products Monday, saying that the company abused its authority in firing irregular workers and shirking its social responsibility.

Fifty-seven groups, including the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Korea Women’s Associations United, and the Korean YMCA held a press conference Monday in front of the Homever World Cup branch to launch the boycott.

“Companies have been taking shortcuts by firing contract workers to cut down on costs and avoid responsibility and E.Land’s mass dismissal is the representative case of abuse,” said Kim Min-young, secre tary general of People’s Solidarity. “Civic groups nationwide have been pleading with the government and E.Land to resolve this in a logical manner, and yet the company is only suing the demonstrating workers and asking for compensation while the government is sitting back and watching.”

On Monday, the National Human Rights Commission investigated after receiving reports that union members were being locked up in the store by the management. They will issue a report this week.

 
As the demonstration goes on, however, the union is losing some support from otherwise sympathetic entrepreneurs who have independent shops in New Core. In Korea, large retailers rent out much of their space to smaller owners who operate retail stalls inside the building.

 
“At first we felt very sorry for the irregular workers because they receive such low wages, but [because of the protests] customers are scared to come to the shops now,” said Shin Hyun-jai, head of the New Core shop owners’ emergency committee. “But these problems highlight the flaws of the irregular worker law, showing that companies can abuse it instead of using to it to protect employees.”
According to the union’s Web site, though, resolve is strong. “My heart aches but hopefully we can fight toward victory,” said union member Jeong Young-ki on the site.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2878180

Hong Gil-dong's (숲속홍길동) latest video ducumentaries about the struggle you can see here (7.16) and here (7.17).

Related article:

☞ Labour strife escalates as new labour law comes into effect (interlocals.net)

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About two weeks ago the (reactionary) S.K. newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported that the conservative/reactionary Grand National Party(Hanara-dang) proposed in its "Vison for Peace on the Korean Peninsula" for example the "complete permitting of North Korean newspapers and broadcasts in South Korea". (*)

But just yesterday the same newspaper had to report following insane stuff:

Man Held for Posting Slews of N.Korean Propaganda

 
Police have arrested a man on charges of violating the National Security Law by posting some 3,000 pro-North Korean documents on the websites of 20 civic organizations. The man identified as Kim downloaded documents from pro-North Korean websites to which South Korea blocks access and uploaded them on the websites. He was arrested on July 10. Police say Kim himself posted 300 of the 3,000 documents and are reviewing some 2,000 seized CDs. But after Kim was arrested, more pro-North Korean documents were posted on the websites of some civic organizations with his ID, police said. Police are investigating whether Kim is part of a larger organization...

 
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200707/200707160016.html

* ☞ GNP Softens N.Korea Policy

국가보안법 박살내자!

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26 E-land Unionized Workers Arrested (K. Times, 7.15)
 

Police arrested 26 union members involved in the E-land strike held in protest against the massive dismissal of non-regular workers at the retailer’s major outlet in Sangam-dong, Seoul, Saturday, for violating demonstration-related laws.

About 60 union members clashed with police as they made their way into the outlet to support the E-land workers.

The protest, which started on July 1 at E-Land's Homever outlet there, expanded to more than 20 other Homever and New Core outlets in other cities. The union is planning to expand their sit-in protests to other outlets.

While the union is calling for management to participate in talks over the reinstatement of dismissed workers, the management is firm on its position that they will not participate in negotiations unless the union halts the strike or accepts arbitration from the Ministry of Labor.

E-land laid off more than 900 non-regular employees at Homever and New Core before the country's new labor law regarding them took effect this month, provoking the protest by the union.

The new law requires employers to change the irregular status of employees to regular if they are employed for over two years. E-Land management dismissed its non-regular employees to save additional costs.

The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), which the E-land union belongs to, has committed to support its members and several civic groups are also supporting the union, criticizing E-land management for abusing the new law...

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/07/117_6518.html

☞ Police block access to E-Land outlets (Hankyoreh)

Related:

☞ 7.14 오후 홈에버 상암.강남점 주변 모습.. (P. Times - pics, video)

☞ 농성 14일째, 홈에버 농성장 경찰 충돌 잇따라 (Chamsesang)

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Today's Hankyoreh published following report (well, I think there's no further comment necessary!!):

E.Land using falsified documents to avoid law
Civic groups announce illegalities in an effort to prevent further worker abuse

Civic groups organized by lawyers and professors said at a press conference on July 12, saying that illegal changes in workplace conditions for non-regular workers have been brought about by New Core and E-Land.

According to them, a 21-year-old resident of Anyang in Gyeonggi Province known as Geum, who requested that her first name be withheld, began to work at a New Core store, one of retail arms of E-Land Group, in Pyeongchon as a cashier in April last year. When signing the contract, she wrote just her address, phone number, resident registration number and name on the contract form. She was not informed about her working conditions, including her wages, working hours and contract terms.

A year later, an outlet manager told her, “We can’t hire people who have worked here for over a year. You should renew your contract using somebody else’s name.” Geum signed the contract under the name of Kim Eun-gyeong, her sister’s friend. Once again, she wrote only Kim’s name, address, phone number and resident registration number on the contract form. Once again, the working conditions were not stated in the contract form and her wages were transferred to a bank account opened under Kim’s name. While at work, Geum had to wear a name tag bearing Kim Eun-gyeong’s name. Geum had become another person.

Approximately one month later, the manager of the Pyeongchon outlet gave her a copy of the contract, which she had signed under the name of Kim. The document stated that the contract terms expired on June 30, just a day before the new non-regular worker protection law took effect. According to Geum, however, she had never been notified of the contract expiration date upon signing the contract form.

On June 10, the manager informed Geum, “As of June 30, all of our cashiers will be replaced by workers from temporary agencies. Until then, you will have to take on other work stacking boxes in the basement. After that, become an outsourced worker, or you will have to quit your job.”

Up to this point, Geum had been paid 3,500 won (US$3.80) per hour, 20 won higher than the minimum wage. Due to what the company deemed as her heavy workload, she got additional 100 won per hour. Then, the non-regular worker protection law, which requires companies to change the legal status of its non-regular workers to regular if they have worked more than two years for the company, took effect on July 1. The day before the law went into effect, more than 900 non-regular workers with E-Land group were laid off.

The civic groups state that E-Land Group adopted illegal means to replace their cashiers with workers from temporary agencies before the nation implemented the law, presenting copies of illegal contract forms, similar to the one which had been made for Geum. The statement was made at Cheongun-dong in downtown Seoul near the Presidential office.

Yeo Yeon-sim of Lawyers for Democratic Society said, “The company ordered non-regular workers like Geum to sign new contracts under other people’s names after a year of employment so they would not have to provide severance packages as required by law.”

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/222286.html

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..current market prices of daily goods/groceries in DPRK's north-eastern city Hoiryeong..

Please keep in mind that "the actual monthly wage for laborers in North Korea is approx. 5,000 NK Won", according to DailyNK. Several western sources are saying that the average income of "ordinary" workers in NK is currently about 3,500/4,000 Nk Won..

*****

 source: DailyNK

Related:

☞ Five years into N. Korea’s market-friendly economy (Hankyoreh, 7.02)

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If you have tomorrow (7.12) nothing better to do - you might join the following event (7:30 pm, Gwanghwamun/Dong-A B/D):

Today's PIC(Hamas' Information Center): "The IOF troops killed 180 Palestinians in six months". Of course it's terrible! But at the same time Palestinians killed at least 600 Palestinians during the fights for "power", money, influence, drugs, weapons, hostages, etc.. (eeh~ I'm sorry!! But for what I know.. that's just the f.. reality!!)

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^^ "Planning to join the Palestinian struggle? Be sure to get your colors right, lest you get caught representin’ in the wrong ‘hood." (Marmot's Hole). Just CHECK IT OUT!!

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Hitler's notoriously book "Mein Kampf",

published by the PA(i.e. the Pal. "gov't"), 2003.

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

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Last week the S.K. (mainly bourgeois) media reported about GNP's plan to change complete their, i.e. soon S.K.'s (because it's likeley - SADLY ENOUGH!! -  that they will place the next president/government), policy on the DPRK (N.K.).
This might be in fact - in my opinion - (one of) the most significant developments since S.K. became a (kind of) democracy.

Well, as an introduction (my own stuff - opinion, comment.. - will follow as soon as possible!!) here just some articles in the S.K. media about the issue:

Hard-line on North ends as GNP sets new policy  (JoongAng Ilbo, 7.05)

 
The days when the Grand National Party took a tough line on North Korea appear to be ending with the announcement yesterday of sweeping changes to its traditional anti-communist policy.

The conservative party declared its support for an inter-Korean summit to contribute to a nuclear free Korean Peninsula and a number of measures to continue the policy of engagement pushed by liberal governments.
Coming in an election year, the conciliatory policy places the party’s approach more in line with ongoing negotiations with the North, rather than the past hostility associated with the GNP.

“Until now, the Grand Nationals have supported a containment policy toward the North, but the new policy is more flexible with more of an emphasis on peace,” said Jeung Young-tae, a researcher with the state-funded Korea Institute for National Unification. “In terms of exchange and cooperation programs, the Grand Nationals’ new policy is comparable to the engagement policy of the current administration.”

The GNP also signalled its support for continuing aid programs and movement toward forging a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War.
Since March, a task force led by Representative Chung Hyung-gun has worked on the new North Korea policy. Chung unveiled the policy, titled, “A Vison for Peace on the Korean Peninsula,” yesterday.

No matter who becomes the party’s presidential candidate, the new policy will be reflected in the candidate’s election platform because the shift was endorsed by the party. Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye both indicated their support for the change yesterday.

 
“Until now, the Grand Nationals have put too much emphasis on the principle of security first, exchanges later. By doing so, we failed to react to the reality of the post-Cold War era in Northeast Asia,” Chung said yesterday. “This new flexible and active policy is aimed at building a community of Koreans to achieve peaceful unification of the peninsula.”

The new policy favors accepting a four-way declaration by the two Koreas, the United States and China to announce an end to the Korean War as a way to establish military trust and resolve hostilities on the peninsula. When tensions between North and South are removed, the party will push for signing a peace treaty..

 
Signing a peace treaty is a delicate issue because it means the South would have to recognize the North as an independent state in order to do so.
“We must see relations between the two Koreas not as relations between two nations, but as a special relationship during the course of unification,” Chung said. “We should recognize the North’s political existence.”

 
The policy includes a plan to aid North Korea’s economy with support missions and large-scale training programs once Pyongyang gives up its nuclear arms program. The party would also guarantee 150,000 tons of rice aid for the North annually under the plan.

 
The policy set forth seven goals including denuclearization, a more open society in the North, support for the economy and improvements in human rights.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2877664

☞ GNP Softens N.Korea Policy (Chosun Ilbo, 7.05)

☞ The GNP's Leftwing Makeover (..7.06)

☞ GNP Tries to Appease NK Ahead of Election (K. Times, 7.04)

☞ GNP’s New North Korea Policy (..7.06)

☞ GNP’s new North Korea policy under fire from the inside (Hankyoreh, 7.06)

☞ The Assignment of the GNP's New Policy toward North Korea (DailyNK, 7.06)

☞ S. Korea preparing for inter-Korean summit this year.. (Yonhap, 7.09)