A Tour of Europe Is Announced by the Samsung Group to Dennounce its Treatment of Workers

   A tour of Europe is announced by the Samsung group

   • Date : Friday 2 December to Sunday 18 December 2016

   • Route : France – England – Belgium – Netherlands – Germany – Luxembourg – Switzerland

   • Purpose: This project of a tour of Europe has as the aim to inform people in Europe about the reality on the Samsung group and labour practices of Samsung in South Korea. The way in which the Samsung group has accumulated his capital is unknown in Europe, and the dissemination of the truth will have consequences fo this group.

   The delegation, which will visit Europe will be composed of the secretary-general of the General trade union of Samsung, Kim Sung Hwan, the father of a victim who used to work for Samsung but died of leukemia which became an occupational disease in this company; of trade unionists, members of associations and students who want to build international solidarity for the resolution of the problems of the Samsung group, campaigning to raise awareness on the prohibition of trade union membership within Samsung group, which became part of a long tradition of disregard for the rights of workers and for human rights; the issue of temporary workers and occupational diseases related to the use of carcinogenic chemicals at the origin of leukemia that can be fatal, while the direction of Samsung denies the character of occupational diseases.

   • Organizers: General Union of the Samsung Group (not recognized by the management).

   General union of the Samsung group (GUSG)

   GUSG, created in 2003, is the unique trade union of the Samsung group, which mobilises the workers of all subsidiaries of the Samsung Group. Because the Samsung group has intervened in the South Korean society using its financial power, the GUSG is in practice the only representative trade union, which is fighting against the Samsung group, including on issues of violation of human rights, work accidents and occupational diseases (including leukaemia) and illegal practices within the company.

   Kim Sung Hwan, secretary general of the GUSG

   Kim Sung Hwan, head of the delegation, which will visit Europe, was dismissed in November 1996 and continued to fight with the Samsung group for the past 20 years as a permanent worker. Because of his struggles, he was imprisoned for 3 years and 10 months. The Samsung group has taken Kim Sung Hwan under surveillance and monitored illegally his telephone communications. Despite the threats and the infringement of his fundamental rights, he has never ceased to fight for 20 years. It is a battle of David against Goliath of the 21st century.

   International solidarity

   It is necessary to obtain international support in the fight against the Samsung group in South Korea. It's more important than ever to strengthen the international solidarity against the exploitation of workers and the political anti-union polcy, while the trade union repression is increasing, and that the issue of temporary workers, and worker's compensation arises more and more in Europe. In the era of neoliberalism, the exploitation of workers and peoples by the capital crossed the borders. As the workers and peoples subjected to exploitation, we need to fight together, by breaking down the barriers, in the face of the offensive of capital. The exchange of experience will allow us to better understand the current issues, including practices that violate the rights of workers in South Korea.

   Voices were raised at the international level to denounce the exploitation and anti-trade union policy of the Samsung group. The International trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has published the report "Samsung : the use of modern technology, with medieval working conditionsl" on October 6, 2016. In this report, the ITUC has denounced the attitude of the Samsung group, which avoids the need to recognize its responsibilities in relation to, in particular, occupational diseases, tax fraud, and illegal agreements on price. The report condemned more widely anti-union policies of the major industrial groups in Asia.

Received from Irina Malenko