Resolutions of Support for Dae Woo Autoworkers in south Korea
Since February 2001, autoworkers at the Dae Woo Motors plant in south Korea have been engaged in a militant struggle against layoffs and a threatened plant closing. During this struggle, they seized the main Pupyong plant for three days, battled U.S.-backed riot police, faced mass arrests and took refuge in tents in bitter cold on the grounds of a nearby Catholic Church.
Dae Woo—the country’s third largest auto company—laid off over 1,700 workers after the U.S. General Motors Corp. said it would only invest if more than 5,000 workers were let go. The Dae Woo workers’ struggle also revolves around the issue of restructuring demanded by the International Monetary Fund.
These heroic Korean workers are seeking support from U.S. unions and labor activists. The following resolutions have been passed in solidarity with their struggle. We reproduce them here as a resource for labor activists who want to pass resolutions in their own organizations. If you are able to get a resolution passed supporting the Dae Woo workers, please send a copy to iacenter@iacenter.org and we will post it here.
Resolution in Support of the Dae Woo Workers
Adopted by the San Francisco Labor Council, AFL-CIO(April 4, 2001)
WHEREAS: Since mid-February, many thousands in south Korea have rallied in support of the workers at Dae Woo Motors, who face mass layoffs and a plant shutdown at the country’s third largest auto company, supported by the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions which has pledged to “mobilize all our forces and engage in the struggle along with the Dae Woo Motors union”; and
WHEREAS: In February Dae Woo laid off 1,751 workers so as to look more attractive to a potential takeover by General Motors Corp., which has demanded a layoff of 5,000 as a condition for its investment; and
WHEREAS: After the first wave of layoffs, workers seized the main plant at Pupyong and held a three-day occupation, battling riot police who attempted to prevent additional workers from joining the sit-down, which culminated in the arrest of hundreds of workers on the third day, followed by the arrest on March 7 of 250 workers demonstrating outside the plant; and
WHEREAS: Union leaders and activists, facing arrest warrants, have taken refuge in tents on the grounds of a Catholic Church near the auto plant, where they have remained night and day in extreme cold since the action at the plant, and an outpouring of international support and solidarity for these militant fighters for labor rights is urgently needed; and
WHEREAS: Dae Woo collapsed when the last financial crisis hit Asia in 1997, and when the International Monetary Fund extended loans to the south Korean government, they demanded massive restructuring of banking and industry, resulting the loss of many thousands of jobs; and
WHEREAS: The struggle of workers in south Korea objectively aids our struggle here in the United States by fighting against the “race to the bottom” which is enticing GM and other U.S. corporations to shift jobs from the United States to lower-wage countries;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the San Francisco Labor Council AFL-CIO demand: Support the Dae Woo workers! Rehire all the fired and laid off workers! Release the arrested workers! Stop the layoffs! We seek the support of area labor councils, the California Labor Federation and AFL-CIO nationally for these just demands of the Dae Woo workers. ¨
Resolution of the Membership of New York Public Library Guild
Local 1930, DC 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
In Support of Dae Woo workers in south Korea (April 2001)WHEREAS the Dae Woo Pupyong plant had been closed for a month by a strike and sit-in during sub-freezing weather in which workers attempted to keep the company from eliminating their jobs; and
WHEREAS the police had stormed the auto plant and forced out 1,750 strikers in preparation for its reopening; and
WHEREAS the 400 fired workers and their family members gathered outside the plant were met by a wall of 4,000 riot police; and
WHEREAS General Motors has precipitated this situation by demanding that Dae Woo trim costs by firing 7,000 out of its 18,000 workers in GM’s bid to take over the Korean auto maker; and
WHEREAS this struggle revolves around the issue of restructuring demanded by the International Monetary Fund and has thus made Dae Woo a test case for all south Korean unions; and
WHEREAS the U.S. labor movement defends workers’ rights and civil rights for all people;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New York Public Library Guild, Local 1930, DC 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, joins in support with the Dae Woo workers and their struggle; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Local 1930 condemns the brutal and repressive measures taken, with the support of the U.S., by the south Korean state and police apparatus against the Dae Woo workers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Local 1930 calls for the release of the jailed strikers and demonstrators and that all criminal charges against them be dropped; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Local 1930 contribute financially to the defense and support of the fired workers and their families; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Local 1930 encourage all its members to join in its area in this campaign for worker rights and take part in meeting with a delegation of Korean trade unionists set to visit New York seeking support from unions in the U.S.¨
Resolution in Support of the Dae Woo Workers
Adopted by the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
San Francisco Chapter (April 17, 2001)WHEREAS: Since mid-February, many thousands in south Korea have rallied in support of the workers at Dae Woo Motors, who face mass layoffs and a plant shutdown at the country’s third largest auto company, supported by the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions which has pledged to “mobilize all our forces and engage in the struggle along with the Dae Woo Motors union”; and
WHEREAS: In February Dae Woo laid off 1,51 workers so as to look more attractive to a potential takeover by General Motors Corp., which has demanded a layoff of 5,000 as a condition for its investment; and
WHEREAS: After the first wave of layoffs, workers seized the main plant at Pupyong and held a three-day occupation, battling riot police who attempted to prevent additional workers from joining the sit-down, which culminated in the arrest of hundreds of workers on the third day, followed by the arrest on March 7 of 250 workers demonstrating outside the plant; and
WHEREAS: Union leaders and activists, facing arrest warrants, took refuge in tents on the grounds of a Catholic Church near the auto plant, where they remained night and day for many weeks in bitter cold since the action at the plant, and an outpouring of international support and solidarity for these militant fighters for labor rights is urgently needed; and
WHEREAS: Dae Woo collapsed when the last financial crisis hit Asia in 1997, and when the International Monetary Fund extended loans to the south Korean government, they demanded massive restructuring of banking and industry, resulting the loss of many thousands of jobs; and
WHEREAS: The struggle of workers in south Korea objectively aids our struggle here in the United States by fighting against the “race to the bottom” which is enticing GM and other U.S. corporations to shift jobs from the United States to lower-wage countries;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO, San Francisco Chapter demand: Support the Dae Woo workers! Rehire all the fired and laid off workers! Release the arrested workers! Stop the layoffs! We seek the support of area labor councils, the California Labor Federation and AFL-CIO nationally for these just demands of the Dae Woo workers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this resolution be submitted for action by the National Convention of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO. ¨
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