[vol.9] Voices from the Field_ In spite of three failures, the Micro Labor Union stood up for a fourth time
WORKING WOMAN 2008. 3. 20. 11:09Lee Hyun-sook
(the Director of Inchon Women Worker's Association)
The scene of haircutting which was one of the expressions of resistances in the '96 struggle
However even after her discharge, chairperson Kim fought for her reappointment and the normalization of the labor union's operations. However the company did not recognize Kim as the representative of the labor union, coaxed workers to withdraw from the union, closed down their office, and even sexually abused women workers who protested (eg. by touching their breasts etc).
Concerning this incident women's movement groups sent letters protesting the sexual abuse, and demanding the reappointment of chairperson Kim. A counterplan committee was formed in the region demanding Kim's reappointment and the discontinuance of repression against labor unions.
As the 1996 wage increase negotiation period approached, the company ended the negotiation with an informal meeting of staff without taking any notice of the labor union. As the protests of the union became a problem, the company unwillingly set up interviews, but throughout five interviews, they not only ignored the papers with the demands of the union, but also came up to the negotiating table and said 'there's no use in having any more discussions, let us just put an end to it', which showed their deceitful attitude, and that they did not want to recognise the union as a negotiating partner.
This deceitful attitude of the company was what forced chairperson Kim to attempt suicide. The repressive measures against the DaeHan micro labor unions have continued since 1984. In 1984, the first labor union (chairman: Guak Seon-bok) was formed, but the company forced those who were not members of the union to put on red armbands with the writing 'Against the labor union' and created a fearful atmosphere, locked up the officials, forced the members to withdraw from the union and finally destroyed it.
The company destroyed the labor union in 1987, and broke up the second union in 1989, and in 1993, when the third labor union was formed, they persuaded the officials to take part in a Samsung education program under the name, 'employees' mind education' and did not even hesitate to enter the lady's room to drag the chairperson out of the gates because she was handing out pamphlets.
They transferred Woo Gum-rae, the chairperson of the dispute committee, singled out the leaders and managers in order to counsel the members one by one, and persuade them to withdraw from the union, and discharged the vice-chairperson after many had already withdrawn from the union. DaeHan Micro was the kind of company who destroyed even a union formed in 1993.
Joint struggle leads to Victory
When word spread that Chairperson Kim had attempted suicide, the executives of Micro labor union made five demands such as the reappointment of the chairperson, a public apology, the security of union activities, and the withdrawal of the charges against the union. The executive official Kim Eun-young, and the education official Che Jung-jin began a hunger strike for 20 days from the 17th of June.
For the members who cannot participate in the activities against the repression of the company, the union made and distributed 'smile' badges to wear. When the hesitating members started to wear them one by one, the company ordered them to take it off.
When the members protested 'what's wrong with smile badges? Its a good thing to have smiles in the workplace.' the company told the managers to wear smile badges as well.
After being told what had happened to chairperson Kim, the first chairperson cried out 'I should have died when I was dismissed... All this happened because I did not kill myself at that time', as she clung to the gates and thus caused the participating workers to cry.
They all worked hard in the struggle: the chairperson who came up to the gate of the Micro company everyday (giving up her work which paid for her living costs); the official who shouted out 'the repression carried out to this generation of workers, should be stopped in this generation!', which she says is a thought that occurred to her while she was working in the kitchen; and the discharged workers who said that, 'we have to get rid of the repression of the union' and who passed out pamphlets outside their workplace with their children, explaining why the union is necessary to them, and suggesting that others join it.
The members of the regional labor unions and labor organizations opened an impeachment rally and held an all night sit-in struggle in front of the DaeHan Micro company on July 17th. The next day they organized a 'committee which demanded the reappointment of chairperson Kim, and the discontinuance of the repressive measures against the labor union of DaeHan Micro'.
Everyday, over 150 workers gathered at the front gate of DaeHan Micro, but during that time the police took in several workers for questioning who were setting up tents at the gate to protect the union. 100 workers were taken to the police station, and two of them were arrested.
As the regional workers continued their struggle everyday, the principal and teachers of the 'Sesak bang children's House' took care of the workers' children until nine o'clock at night everyday, and many people from other social organizations held a meeting with the press calling for an end to the repressive measures and the normalization of the labor union operations. On July 2nd, as a result of these joint activities, the company finally agreed to the five demands of the labor union.
The struggle against the repressive measures of the DaeHan Micro company and the reappointment of chairperson Kim was a victory achieved by regional workers, citizens of Inchon, and even workers and students in Seoul.