By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Tension is again mounting at the Ssangyong Motor plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, as police gear up to use force to disperse hundreds of laid-off unionized workers who have occupied the factory for about 50 days.
Police removed steel containers and other barricades that blocked four major entrances to the troubled carmaker located 70 kilometers south of Seoul. They were standing guard at the four major gates Sunday, keeping outsiders off the premises.
Police said they had secured the gates as a toehold for the possible dispersion of the union members by force. ``We occupied the gates in preparation for the use of police force,’’ an officer said. ``But we will make a final decision after watching the situation further.’’
The union has refused to budge. ``If the police want to make another tragedy, go ahead. All responsibilities will fall on the government and the company,’’ the union said in a statement. ``We will fight to the end. This factory is the last fortress laborers cannot give up.’’
Lee Chang-geun, a union leader added, ``We urge the government to withdraw police and turn up at the negotiation table to normalize the factory.’’
Food and medicine were not allowed to pass through the gates.
Employees and executives of the company shelved a plan that would have seen them enter the factory Monday to avoid a clash with the union members. But they demanded that the government use police force to disperse the striking union members as soon as possible.
A Ssangyong executive said, ``The factory should come under our control by the end of the month. Given it takes 10 days to normalize assembly lines, the protesters should be dispersed this week. That’s the only way for our survival.’’
On Friday, 4,500 people filed a collective petition for the use of police force with the government Friday, saying ``The prolonged confrontation will lead to a collapse of the company, its hundreds of subcontractors and dealerships.’’
Police have been reluctant to get involved in the management-labor confrontation originated from a massive layoff carried out last month as part of restructuring efforts to keep the company afloat and avoid liquidation. The firm has been under bankruptcy protection since February.