http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=18715
Day of fierce fighting at occupied South Korean car factory
by Owen Miller in Seoul
The attack began at dawn today and lasted until late afternoon. Under a hail of
metal bolts and stones from Ssangyong company thugs, liquid tear gas dropped
from police helicopters, incessant loud music and an all-out assault by police
commandos armed with steel pipes and taser guns, the occupying workers at the
Ssangyong auto factory in Pyongtaek, South Korea, have held out for one more
day.
They forced back a number of attempts by police to retake the car plant’s
paintshop, using every means at their disposal including flaming barricades,
petrol bombs, slingshots and anti-helicopter spikes.
This sort of fierce resistance reflects the real desperation of workers faced
with the loss of their jobs and unlikely to find another in South Korea’s harsh
labour market. It is also a reaction to the sheer brutality of the company and
the Korean government in their repeated attempts to crush the occupying
workers. There is a widespread belief here that the right wing Lee Myung-bak
government wants to make an example of the Ssangyong workers and achieve a
decisive victory against unionised labour in Korea in order to pave the way for
more widespread restructuring.
There are now around 500-540 workers left inside the factory’s paintshop,
living under terrible conditions after more than two months of occupation. The
company and police have been enforcing a complete blockade on the occupying
workers and for the last week they have had very little to eat or drink and
practically no water to use for washing or going to the toilet. Many of the
workers have sustained injuries during the last week of fighting but the
company and police have consistently tried to block medical aid from reaching
them.
Negotiations took place at the weekend between management and union leaders but
they were broken off by the company on Sunday morning. Now the company, which
has been under bankruptcy protection since February, faces liquidation in the
next day or two and it is likely that many more will lose their jobs. Although
it is clear that nationalisation is the only solution for the ailing car
company, the Lee Myung-bak government seems quite happy to let it sink as long
as it can score a victory against a militant section of the working class.
The remaining workers say they are ready to fight on and are surrounded by
thousands of litres of flammable liquids which pose a threat to both themselves
and the attacking police. On the outside of the paintshop building the
occupiers have daubed the words, “If you don’t want to talk, you’d better kill
us all!”
The families of the Ssangyong workers have been camped outside the plant for
weeks and themselves faced violent attacks from company thugs and
strike-breaking employees who have smashed up their tents in the early hours of
the morning. This evening at 6.30pm, as the day of fighting came to an end,
they released green helium balloons over the factory as a signal of solidarity
with their loved ones inside the occupation. Despite their pleas for more
negotiations there is little doubt that tomorrow morning will bring another
savage assault from the police.
© Socialist Worker (unless otherwise stated). You may republish if you include
an active link to the original.
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