Arrest warrants issued for Ssangyong Motor's unionists

PYEONGTAEK, South Korea, June 4 (Yonhap) -- A court issued arrest warrants
Thursday for striking union leaders and workers at Ssangyong Motor Co.'s plant,
which has been embroiled in weeks of protests over job cuts.
The move came as the company management earlier warned it would take strong
countermeasures, including asking police to forcibly remove the workers next
week.
Thousands of unionized workers at Ssangyong have occupied the carmaker's plant in
the city of Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul, since May 21. In response,
Ssangyong closed the Pyeongytaek factory on May 31.
Police said they obtained arrest writs for 10 union leaders on charges of leading
illegal protests since last January. They are also investigating other union
workers who were involved in the strikes and said they will consider a raid to
break up the strike if it continues.
The country's smallest carmaker, Ssangyong, which has been under court
receivership since February, plans to cut 36 percent of its workforce, or 2,646
workers, as part of restructuring.
The management and the union have not been able to agree on the job cuts and cost
saving plans despite a series of negotiations. While managers say the layoffs are
inevitable to improve productivity, workers demand that the management minimize
the job cuts through job sharing.
Company officials say the past two weeks of strikes cost the firm 3,793 cars in
lost production, worth of 82 billion won (US$66 million).
If the strike continues, the bankruptcy court will not approve the restructuring
plan, forcing company liquidation, Ssangyong said.
Last month, the Seoul Central District Court said saving Ssangyong is more
valuable than liquidating it, but warned it could force the struggling company to
close unless the restructuring plans are carried out.
Ssangyong posted a net loss of 265 billion won ($213.8 million) in the first
quarter, compared to 34 billion won for the same period last year. First-quarter
sales plunged 66 percent from a year ago to 234 billion won.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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