By Kang Hyun-kyung
Two fired, non-permanent workers of Hyundai Motor came down from a high-rise steel tower near the company's assembly line in Ulsan Thursday, ending a 296-day protest calling for their non-permanent status to be changed to a regular one.
Choi Byung-seung, 38, and Chun Eui-bong, 31, were taken into custody by police following their descent from the tower to be questioned over what was called an illegal protest. The two are members of the Korean Metal Workers' Union, an affiliate of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.
They started their protest after climbing 23 meters of the 50-meter tower on Oct. 17, 2012, demanding the nation's largest automaker observe the Supreme Court ruling that states contract employees should be considered permanent workers if they have worked for a company for more than two years.
The court also acknowledged non-permanent workers at subcontractors as employees of the automaker, a ruling requiring the company to give workers regular status if they work there for more than two years.
Hyundai refused to accept the demand.
"We've demanded the company follow the court ruling, but the company has refused to accept it. It's really sad that we have to come down, resolving nothing," Choi said during a press conference Thursday.
They said their descent does not mean their struggle is over.
"We're exhausted from the long protest. We've decided to come down to save our energy for more fights in the future. We will continue to fight until our demands are met," Choi said.
The union has accused the automaker of having used subcontractors as a vehicle to pay lower labor costs and fire employees more easily.
The two protestors cited their declining health as one of key reasons behind their ending the tower protest.
The union representing non-permanent workers at Hyundai Motor has demanded that the company make all of 7,500 non-permanent workers regular employees.
In reply, management proposed to hire 3,500 non-permanent workers working for subcontractors as regular ones.
The main opposition Democratic Party has demanded that Hyundai Motors respect the court ruling and recognize all non-permanent workers as regular employees.
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| Two former Hyundai Motor non-permanent workers, Chun Eui-bong, left, and Choi Byung-seung, chant a slogan after they came down from a high-rise steel tower near the company's assembly line in Ulsan Thursday, 296 days after they started their protest. / Yonhap |
Choi Byung-seung, 38, and Chun Eui-bong, 31, were taken into custody by police following their descent from the tower to be questioned over what was called an illegal protest. The two are members of the Korean Metal Workers' Union, an affiliate of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.
They started their protest after climbing 23 meters of the 50-meter tower on Oct. 17, 2012, demanding the nation's largest automaker observe the Supreme Court ruling that states contract employees should be considered permanent workers if they have worked for a company for more than two years.
The court also acknowledged non-permanent workers at subcontractors as employees of the automaker, a ruling requiring the company to give workers regular status if they work there for more than two years.
Hyundai refused to accept the demand.
"We've demanded the company follow the court ruling, but the company has refused to accept it. It's really sad that we have to come down, resolving nothing," Choi said during a press conference Thursday.
They said their descent does not mean their struggle is over.
"We're exhausted from the long protest. We've decided to come down to save our energy for more fights in the future. We will continue to fight until our demands are met," Choi said.
The union has accused the automaker of having used subcontractors as a vehicle to pay lower labor costs and fire employees more easily.
The two protestors cited their declining health as one of key reasons behind their ending the tower protest.
The union representing non-permanent workers at Hyundai Motor has demanded that the company make all of 7,500 non-permanent workers regular employees.
In reply, management proposed to hire 3,500 non-permanent workers working for subcontractors as regular ones.
The main opposition Democratic Party has demanded that Hyundai Motors respect the court ruling and recognize all non-permanent workers as regular employees.
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