Non-Regular Workers Occupy E-Land Shops
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Twelve retailers, run by E-Land Group, were forced to close Sunday as workers occupied shops in protest against the company's dismissal of non-regular employees.
About 200 workers at New Core and Kim's Club Mart in Jamwon-dong of southern Seoul, two of the group's retailers, and members of the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) monopolized the department store and supermarket around 10:40 a.m. and staged a sit-in.
They tied shopping carts around racks with ropes so that customers could not access products. They also covered racks and counters with placards that read, ``This shop is not open today,'' ``The day of boycotting New Core,'' and ``We censure E-Land for firing temporary workers.''
As management was warned of the occupation earlier, E-Land and the police put a signboard informing customers of the possible obstruction of business. They tried to ban demonstrators from entering the shops but failed.
Protests have continued for the ninth day at a World Cup Park branch of Homever in central Seoul, another retail outlet of the group, and three other Homever stores in Seoul closed to prevent occupation.
Seven New Core stores outside of Seoul were also closed _ six due to workers' sit-in rallies and one because of the management's worries about possible demonstration.
The protest began last month ahead of the implementation of the government's bill to protect non-regular employees on July 1.
According to the bill, which was aimed at protecting non-regular workers, temporary workers will automatically be granted regular status if they work for a company for more than two years.
But E-Land denied renewing contracts for its 350 temporary workers at New Core and 2,000 employees at Homever, replacing them with outsourced employees due to financial burdens from direct employment.
The workers and the KCTU have demanded the company reinstate dismissed non-regular employees. The umbrella union warned earlier that it would blockade E-Land's retail outlets if the company did not sincerely negotiate with the workers.
The KCTU plans to lead boycott of E-Land retailers starting Monday.