"Protest in Seoul Threatens Jobs"... GGM Group Leaders Appeal

"Driving the Workplace to the Edge of a Cliff"
Leaflet Distributed

On the 14th, the "Council of Practice for a Workplace of Mutual Growth," composed mainly of 16 GGM group leaders, distributed an appeal letter to internal employees. Provided by GGM

Some employees have condemned the Gwangju Global Motors (GGM) union, which escalated its dispute to a protest in Seoul after failing to reach an agreement with management on wage and collective bargaining negotiations, saying that the union is "betraying the will of the majority of employees and putting their livelihoods at risk."

According to GGM and other sources on May 15, the "Council of Practice for a Workplace of Mutual Growth," composed mainly of 16 GGM group leaders, distributed a leaflet to internal employees the previous day. The leaflet stated that "the protest in Seoul is driving our workplace to the edge of a cliff."

The leaflet emphasized, "What we need to do is focus on production and build trust with our client companies," and added, "GGM stands at a critical crossroads. It is a crucial moment to determine whether we will overcome the various risks and public concerns surrounding us and achieve job stability through a two-shift production system, or fall into decline."

The statement continued, "Some employees visiting client companies under the pretext of a protest in Seoul over internal company issues does nothing to improve the situation at GGM," and appealed, "The majority of employees who work diligently on site do not agree with the thoughts and actions of this minority."

It also stressed, "The shortcut to introducing a two-shift production system and additional vehicle models is to produce the pending order volume as planned, thereby demonstrating production capacity and building trust with client companies." The statement further emphasized, "Rather than conflict, we must resolve these issues through cooperation, under the fundamental principle of adhering to the labor-management mutual growth agreement that underpins the company's founding, and by using effective methods."

Previously, on May 13, the Gwangju-Jeonnam branch of the Korean Metal Workers' Union held a press conference in front of the Democratic Party of Korea's central headquarters in Seoul. The union argued, "Since the Democratic Party took the lead in creating the Gwangju-type job model, they must take responsibility and resolve the GGM situation," and claimed, "Labor rights violations are continuing at GGM in Gwangju, a city known for democracy and human rights."

The labor and management at GGM, which adopted the "Gwangju-type job" as the nation's first labor-management mutual growth model, have been in conflict since January due to the breakdown of wage and collective bargaining negotiations. Currently, GGM has a total of 687 employees, with 228 union members (according to the union), accounting for about one-third of the workforce.