On June 17, the South Korean Office of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) held a protest in front of the main gate of the Yura R&D Center to condemn the vicious Yura corporation for violating the right to work of Serbian workers.
Yura company provided many apparent examples of violations of working rights, the most extreme of which was when workers needed workwear diapers during their working hours and didn’t have the right to go to the toilet.
The moderator said, “Yura Corporation became controversial two years ago when it ordered office workers to work over 52 hours a week in production plants. Yura Corporation, which exploits Korean workers in Korea, is also exploiting and oppressing workers overseas,” she said.
She continued, “Yura expanded its production plants in Serbia, starting with the Rača plant in 2010, and hired Serbian workers on a large scale. According to many media reports, Serbian workers are paid low wages and work in inhuman and poor working conditions,” She added, “The workers at the Leskovac plant in Serbia have formed a trade union and organized a general strike. We stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Serbian workers and will struggle together for workers’ liberation.”
The participants shouted slogans in Korean and English, “We condemn Yura for violating workers’ rights and suppressing trade unions!”, “Yura must guarantee the basic rights of Serbian workers!” and “Workers of the world, unite!”.
A member of the South Korean Office of the WFTU said, “We are here to stand in solidarity with the Serbian workers. The news of the Serbian workers from far away surprised and outraged us,” he added, “The manager beat them with clubs and prevented them from going to the bathroom, forcing them to work in diapers, and fired five workers when they tried to form a union to change the poor working conditions.
“On June 11, 800 Yura Corporation workers in Leskovac went on strike against unfair treatment,” he continued, “Korea is already a vassal state of imperialism and a playground for transnational capital. The South Korean Office of the WFTU will stand in solidarity with the Serbian workers until the day they win their struggle, and we will expose the abusive labor practices of Yura Corporation to the world,” he said.
The other union member said, “When we heard that thousands of workers are working in such a hellish labor reality, we were furious and wanted to go to the site in Serbia immediately to carry out a strong solidarity struggle with the workers.” He added, “Yura Corporation is a partner of Kia Motors and Hyundai Motors. It is shameful and outrageous that such a company exists in South Korea.”
She added, “It is a big mistake to think that a company can remain fully profitable while treating workers subhumanly and oppressing them. If workers are treated fairly and their human rights are guaranteed, they will have more pride and love for their work, and the company will be more stable. We will stand in solidarity with the Serbian workers with one heart and one mind,” he said, raising the slogan, “Workers of the world, unite!”
The rally ended with everyone singing “The Internationale.”
