On 1 December 2010 two members of the GM Daewoo Irregular Workers Chapter of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union’s Incheon Local Branch climbed the arch that stands ten meters above the entrance to the factory in Bupyeong and began a ‘high-altitude sit-in’ that lasted beyond the end of the year. In addition, on 20 December, Sin Hyeon-chang, president of the GM Daewoo Irregular Workers Chapter, began a hunger strike, camping out overnight near the factory.
The workers are demanding the reinstatement of 15 union members among those laid off under the pretext of disciplinary action directly after the union chapter was founded in September 2007. Despite the fact that the Labour Standards Act protects the right of all workers to form trade unions, GM Daewoo response was to fire all the officers. The workers are also asking management to recognise the union and regularise irregular workers. Management has refused to address these issues and has continuously rejected negotiations.
Police officers stationed near the protest site have also prevented supporters from lifting weatherproofing equipment up to the workers living on the arch. They are now suffering from hypothermia and frostbite.