S. Korean workers reach deal to end world's longest labor protest
  • 5 years ago
막내린 426일 세계 최장기 굴뚝농성…파인텍 노사협상 극적타결

The world's longest ongoing labor demonstration comes to an end today.
After reaching a deal with management, two employees at a South Korean manufacturing company came down from the top of a smokestack at a power plant... after carrying out their protest for over 400 days.
Seo Eunkyung has the full story.
Today, two men came down from the smokestack in Seoul where they'd been for 426 days demanding their jobs back.
They're part of a five-member union working for a small company called FineTek, which makes display equipment.
Its parent company is called Starflex.
The two separate occasions since 2010, Starflex had promised the five men years of job security -- only to fire them both times.
The first time, they won back their jobs after a protest lasting 408 days.
To rehire them, Starflex set up FineTek.
But only nine months later, in 2016, they were let go again when Starflex decided to close FineTek down.
Under the deal struck today with Starflex, the three men from the smokestack and their two fellow union members... will be guaranteed three years on the job.
Their pay will be 89 U.S. cents above the minimum wage,... and the factory where they work will be reopened on June 1st.
Seo Eun-kyung, Arirang News.
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