The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa sends a message of support and solidarity to auto workers in struggle in South Korea and Canada.

In South Korea, workers at Hyundai Motors have staged their first full nationwide strike in 12 years. This followed a series of sporadic strikes over wages since July which led to lost production of 101,400 vehicles worth $2.02, the biggest output loss for the firm in terms of value of vehicles.

The 48,000-member union plans to stage a partial strike for the remainder of this week while continuing annual wage talks.

The company has been hit by an emerging market downturn and its failure to tap into strong global demand for sport utility vehicles. But the workers have refused to pay the price for this drop in sales. Union members overwhelmingly voted down a tentative wage deal which was less generous than last year's package.

In Canada's, the Unifor union has set a tentative strike deadline of 10 October, following talks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, as it also prepares to vote on a related deal with General Motors Co.

A four-year contract covering roughly 20,000 Canadian unionized workers of Fiat Chrysler, GM and Ford expired on 19 September. Unifor, which represents 4,000 GM workers, reached a last-minute tentative deal with the company, which, if ratified by members, would be used as a template for talks with the other companies that are expected to agree to similar terms.

"Should the tentative agreement not be approved by the membership ... the union will move towards an immediate strike position," said union spokesperson Denise Hammond.

Unifor's deal with GM granted some job security, but less favourable pensions than before. The company agreed to renewed investment at its Canadian plants, while the union gave up defined benefits pensions for new hires.

Unifor President Jerry Dias has said concessions were necessary to ensure GM continues operations in the province of Ontario, home to nearly all of Canada's once-thriving auto industry that has been losing out to the Southern United States and lower-cost Mexico.

These disputes confirm that the auto sector is in crisis around the world, and Numsa, which has just signed an agreement with auto employers, will stand in solidarity with its fellow workers, who refuse to accept cuts in wages and worse conditions of employment because of the ongoing crisis within global capitalism.

An injury to one is an injury to all. Workers of the World Unite!

 

Issued by Numsa