As subcontracting companies to the Hyundai Heavy Industries whose workers are organized by the Korean Metal Workers' Union(KMWU) are continuously closing down their business, arousing suspicion turns to the union busting strategy of the main contracting company, Hyundai Heavy Industries.
It is criticized that while the subcontracting companies were closing down, still non-union workers were selectively rehired, excluding unionized workers.
The Hyundai Heavy Industries Subcontracting Companies Union Local on August 9 held a press conference to expose the suspicion of aforementioned union-busting strategy used by the Hyundai Heavy Industries(HHI) and Hyundai Mipo Dockyards(HMD) that is an obvious repression on the union.
From last April, the Hyundai Heavy Industries Subcontracting Companies Union Local commenced collective bargaining with twenty-five HHI and HMD subcontracting companies on wages and working conditions.
However, in June union members of four subcontracting companies withdrew their membership from the union. Subsequently the union local could not continue collective bargaining with these four companies.
In the period of July to August, three subcontracting companies to HHI and two subcontracting companies to HMD shut down their business. Since the employment succession was not made because of abrupt company closures, workers are on the brink of just losing their jobs.
Since most of these affected companies were organized workplaces where union local officials were active, union became suspicious of HHI and HMD's involvement in union membership withdrawal and company closure.