Civic groups and workers from a former logistics subcontractor for General Motors Korea held rallies Monday in front of the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office in central Seoul, criticizing the Labor Ministry for failing to respond to what they described as mass layoffs linked to union activity.
A total of 120 workers were dismissed on Dec. 31 from Woojin, a subcontractor that had handled operations at GM Korea’s parts logistics center in Sejong for about two decades. Protesting workers have occupied the logistics center, demanding reinstatement.
The layoffs followed the cancellation of Woojin’s contract with GM Korea and the company’s subsequent closure. Workers said the contract was terminated after they formed a union in July to demand higher wages.
Woojin had provided logistics services to GM Korea under a private, negotiated contract, with its workers continuing to perform duties at the Sejong facility until the contract ended.
During the rally, protesters urged the government to honor its pledge to expand the responsibility of principal contractors toward subcontracted workers.
They pointed to the recent revision of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, which allows unions at subcontracting firms to directly negotiate with principal contractors.
“The revised labor relations act will not take root in workplaces if cases like this are left unresolved,” a representative of the unionized workers said.
“The government should use all available measures to ensure GM Korea rehires the workers at its logistics center and enters into negotiations with them as the principal contractor within January.”
The protesters also criticized what they described as the government’s lukewarm response, arguing that it had worsened the situation.
“The workers requested a special labor inspection into GM Korea’s illegal interference with union activities, but the request was rejected,” the worker added. “The Labor Ministry dismissed the issue as a private contractual matter, even though GM Korea unilaterally changed subcontractors, leading to mass layoffs.”
GM Korea denied claims that it bears responsibility for the layoffs, arguing that it has no authority over employment decisions made by subcontractors.
“Whether a new subcontractor chooses to retain the previous workers is a decision that must be made independently,” a GM Korea official said. “Any involvement by us in hiring decisions could constitute unfair interference.”
The official added that GM Korea had fulfilled its moral responsibility by offering affected workers positions at other company-affiliated workplaces, with many accepting the offers.
The company also criticized the workers’ occupation of the Sejong logistics center, saying it was disrupting production and affecting customers.
In response, the union said it would immediately return to work and normalize logistics operations if GM Korea guaranteed job succession and began talks on what the union says are illegal dispatch practices.
The dismissed workers filed petitions on last Wednesday with the Chungnam Regional Labor Relations Commission, seeking remedies for unfair dismissal and unfair labor practices.
forestjs@heraldcorp.com
