Korean police to storm Ssangyong factory occupied by fired workers?
Earlier this year, when Ssangyong was allowed to continue as a going concern, the company had to let go of around 900 workers. Those workers (above) then effectively said "all your factory are belong to us," and staged a sit-in at the South Korean production facility that subsequently turned violent. Ssangyong hired its own security to try and clear the plant, but that didn't work. Now, months later, the South Korean police are reportedly set to move in.
Ssangyong production ceased entirely when the factory occupation began two months ago, and the company has no way of getting itself out of dire straits when it can't make any products and engage in commerce. The workers want to negotiate with the government, but the government hasn't announced any intention to do so. It's up to the police now, who said "We'll advance our force into the factory to assist the court's order."
The workers inside the factory appear totally committed to not giving up. Other former workers outside the factory have taken to staging rallies to support those inside, holding aloft banners that read "Layoffs are tantamount to murder." Something will need to give, but before it does, it sounds like more violence is on the way.
[Source: Bloomberg | Image: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
genepro16 10:36AM (7/20/2009)
A consequence of beleagued company occupied by crumsy/inferior Chinese firm...
Other comapnies (not just this Korean company, but other American/German/Japanese companies as well) should learn a thing or two from this fiasco.
Never ever trust Chinese.
Reply
Andy 2:14PM (7/20/2009)
Uh, no - the economy sucks, so a few companies will go into bankruptcy (ever heard of Chrysler or GM?).. that's how it goes. No one has a right to a job, layoffs happen, deal with it.
Bird 2:36PM (7/20/2009)
Yes, yes, somehow, in some way, the message to extract from this article is "never trust the Chinese."
abcd 4:39PM (7/20/2009)
genepro16:
[Quote]
A consequence of beleagued company occupied by crumsy/inferior Chinese firm...
Other comapnies (not just this Korean company, but other American/German/Japanese companies as well) should learn a thing or two from this fiasco.
Never ever trust Chinese.
[/Quote]
genepro16 you're the RACIST !!!
the4thheat 10:46PM (7/21/2009)
Yes, with such fantastic, unproblematic and realistic workers why would SAIC have possibly wanted nothing to do with this car company anymore. Clearly the Chinese should have kept hiring workers for a brand that hasn't even been competitive in it's own country. And oh even though the Chinese didn't have better technology it's also their fault that they didn't magically help Ssangyong make better cars than it's main competitors (if you can even call them that) Hyundai, Kia, and Daewoo.
It's not like this car company was probably doomed to begin with and there's a global economic meltdown that managed to bankrupt two major automakers of MUCH better cars than Ssangyong. No, it must be the evil Chinese car companies' fault somehow. Couldn't possibly be the crackheaded UAW from hell douchetards who worked at Ssangyong who think the company should employ the same amount of people even if it can't possibly survive like that. The kind of idiots who clearly don't think it matters whether you make a competitive product because no matter what the government should make sure you have a job even if there's almost as many workers as cars sold.
Seriously when SAIC acquired Ssangyong it already had a huge mountain of debt. The fact that nobody else is willing to provide financing for Ssangyong would suggest that it simply makes no sense to keep this company running anymore in it's original form, so the only choice left was to do the downsizing much like GM and Chrysler have had to do. Expecting SAIC to keep funneling money into a sinking ship when it needs the money to make sure it doesn't drown itself is pretty ridiculous.
Bird 10:40AM (7/20/2009)
For great justice.
Reply
Jared 2:02PM (7/20/2009)
All your factories are belong to us?
From My Cube 10:54AM (7/20/2009)
so what do the workers expect from a company that doesnt have money?
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HotRodzNKustoms 11:11AM (7/20/2009)
Well, money of course!
Brian 10:58AM (7/20/2009)
If layoffs are tantamount to murder, what do they consider being shot by the police during a raid?
Reply
UCJR 11:13AM (7/20/2009)
Martyrdom?
HotRodzNKustoms 11:12AM (7/20/2009)
tantamount to layoffs
Rocketboy 12:43PM (7/20/2009)
Well, I guess they just gave open rights to kill anyone who'd just be laid off. Why prolong the suffering?
HotRodzNKustoms 11:18AM (7/20/2009)
I think they need to hire that Chinese guy who pushed the suicide jumper off that bridge to push those guys off the building. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBs0gq67ERA
Ok I don't really think that but it would be pretty funny.
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Ray 5:03PM (7/20/2009)
'Hi, my name is Mr. Chen. I'll be your negotiator today. What's that over there?!?!?'
SHOVE.
Dude 11:30AM (7/20/2009)
Looks like they are trying to land a plane.
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jgp 12:28PM (7/20/2009)
Good. About time the police lay the holy smack down on these criminals.
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Mister D Barton 12:44PM (7/20/2009)
Good, kill them all. They were fired, just like 100,000's were before them earlier this year. They have no right to take over the building.
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ryuryuryturtuy 5:15PM (7/20/2009)
Hey, calm down. This is not china.
ryuryuryturtuy 5:16PM (7/20/2009)
"A consequence of beleagued company occupied by crumsy/inferior Chinese firm...
Other comapnies (not just this Korean company, but other American/German/Japanese companies as well) should learn a thing or two from this fiasco.
Never ever trust Chinese. "
You're a genius, not only that, I second this statement.
Reply