By Park Chung-a
Staff Reporter
About 500 unionized workers of the nation's major retailer E-Land Group once again took control over its Gangnam branch. The New Core department store in southern Seoul faced another series of strikes early Sunday morning, fresh off the heels of recent clashes that had protesters being forcefully removed by police only eight days ago.
The strikers demand for the previously arrested labor union workers to be released, vowing to fight until the bitter end. Chances of a compromise look minimal. Sources say E-Land will only negotiate after the union halts all protest.
Unionized workers of the E-Land Group, a huge fashion conglomerate with numerous stores nationwide, have been staging sit-in protests at several branches that began early this month, demanding improved job security and the reinstatement of their fired co-workers. E-Land dismissed more than 900 non-regular workers as the newly enacted labor law requires part-time workers who have worked more than two years at the same company to be granted regular worker's status.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and activists have launched a campaign to boycott the products from E-Land Group.