The Korean Metal Workers' Union's Ssangyong branch and Ssangyong Motor's pan-national committee urged the government and Mahindra Group to resolve the issue, saying India's Mahindra Group, a major shareholder of Ssangyong Motor, is delaying the reinstatement of 46 laid-off Ssangyong workers without a promise.
They held a press conference at the fountain square in front of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 3, saying that the 46 Ssangyong workers, who should have been assigned to the division on Dec. 31 last year according to the agreement reached by the Korean Metal Workers' Union's Ssangyong branch, the company and the Economic, and Social Labor Committee, have not been assigned to the division so far.
“While SsangYong Motor and Mahindra were scrapping national commitments under the slogan of "management crisis," the government said it was "unaware,” they argued, criticizing the government for destroying a new social agreement.
Far from apologizing to the public, Mahindra’s president, Pawan Koenka, said, "After the cancellation of the agreement, we entered the country and met with the labor union, who led the agreement, and used 46 workers as hostages to ask the Korea Development Bank for additional loans and other support," adding, "We cannot understand the deception of the twin cars and Mahindra."
"The government has a duty to monitor the tyranny of foreign investment capital and protect the interests and rights of the Korean people," they said. "The government should hold Ssangyong and Mahindra responsible for breaking the agreement and immediately implement the agreement between Ssangyong and Mahindra."
They plan to stage a one-man relay protest at the fountain square in front of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae from Feb. 4 to call for the reinstatement of laid-off workers.