SOUTH KOREA: Massive dismissal of workers by company while the government cracked down on their stri

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 14, 2007 -- for immaiger relese
Name of victims: at about 900 workers who were dismissed
Alleged perpetrator: E-Land World Limited, 19-8 Chanjeon -dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea
Date of incident: since 30 June 2007
Place of incident: Homever located in World Cup Stadium in Seoul; New Core Outlet department complex in central Seoul

I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the massive dismissal of over 900 irregular workers by the E-Land Group, Korean textile and supermarket retailer, in order to avoid giving them permanent contracts as required by a new labour law, namely, the \'Irregular Workers Protection Act\', which went into effect 1 July 2007. Dismissed irregular workers, mostly female cashiers, were engaged in strikes and protests demanding improved job security and new contracts since 1 July.

I was informed that according to the new labour law, irregular workers would automatically be granted regular status if they work for a company for more than two years. However, E-Land Group denied to renew contracts for over 900 irregular workers ahead of the implementation of the new labour law and to substitute them with employees outsourced from temporary employment agencies due to financial burdens from direct employment. Most irregular workers that have been dismissed are women, supermarket and department store cashiers and sales assistants working under very insecure employment conditions.

I was also informed that since July 1, union workers at the E-land Group continued their sit-in protest at \'New Core Outlet\' in central Seoul and \'Homever\' in World Cup Stadium in Seoul until 20 July against the mass dismissal of irregular workers. The protest at the \'Homever\' lasted for 21 days and the strike at the \'New Core Outlet\' continued for 14 days. On Friday 20 July, more than 7,000 policemen broke down pre-constructed barriers set up by the striking workers and moved in to forcibly remove the striking workers from the shop premises. The police took 169 protestors from the two Outlets to several police stations and they were released. Some workers were injured in the 30-minute scuffle. Only 9 days after the demonstration was broken up, members of the union once again started a sit-in at New Core Outlet in Seocho, Seoul, on July 29. The government sent its riot police to forcibly remove the protesters from \'New Core Outlet\'. Now, three core union leaders were arrested on charges of organising an illegal strike when riot police stormed picketing protestors. Moreover, other E-Land unionists were threatened with being arrested, and huge individual compensation claims have been filed by the employer for interfering with their business and the losses incurred by the sit-in strikes.

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