Diary on the Roof (4):

Diary on the Roof (4): Sit-In Journal by KIA Motors’ Temporary Employees Choi, Jung Myung and Han, Gyu Hyup

May 25, Wednesday, the 350thDay–

Three Hundred and Fifty Days…

It is getting darker. Seems like it’s gonna rain. Good for our Sit-In, but the placard blown by the wind, we cannot unfold it.

Three hundred fifty days…

I have been in the time I have never imagined in my life. Looking back, it feels like a film that has flashed by, but my kids who has grown up like bamboo trees tells me that it has never been a short time.

Not long ago, someone asked us whether we were going to relieve our Sit-In and gonna come down to the ground. We asked back who had told so, and the answer was, “So I heard…” We feel it may be out of worries about us to say things like that, but still, those who say the kind of things do not completely understand how we feel.

If we had planned the duration of our Sit-In in the beginning, we could have not come this far at all. Yes, it’s gotten much longer beyond our expectation, but as of now, we do not bother counting how many days or anything like that at all. Without the very answer to our solid decision and desperate feeling, our Sit-In will never be relieved. Whoever you might be, if you are expecting that we may go down because of fatigue and exhaustion, then you are absolutely wrong.

‘Those whose cloths are already wet are never afraid of heavy rains.’ Those we Sitter-In are scared of are never things like imprisoning, provisional attachment for indemnification for damage, and discharge. What we ARE afraid of is that we might regret about the result of our decision for the fight to terminate temporary employment. For as long as we keep this in our heart, we will never give up this fight that might be almost not possible to start again.

Please, those many of you who are worried about us, do not tell us to come down but do fight strenuously. Please do so, so as us never to regret, although the final hearing and result might not be completely satisfactory.

Tomorrow, finally, is the day the Union division representative convention handles the issue of whether to admit our fight as one of the Unions’ or not. We thank you all again for your worry for and solidarity with us.

Ms. Yoon, Pruna, thank you again for today’s lunch.

May 26, the 351st Day –

We would like to get down and fight together…

What a nice day for Sitting-In!

As expected, the convention was prorogued during the discussion on the issue of whether to admit our fighting as one of the Unions’. We even feel sorry that too many people are striving because of our high-place Sit-In. Our family members have been at the convention place and done the picketing, appealing to the representative comrades. We also feel sorry about that from the bottom of our heart. We watched the convention broadcast all day long, seeing many beloved faces. Some of you are still just like the same. Haha.

There was some misunderstanding to the point where we felt we wanted to go there and talk, and we felt the worrying hearts for us. Thank you very much. The viewpoint of the KIA Motors Union division chairman was well understood: the division can solve the illegal dispatch problem through special negotiation only when the high-place Sit-In is relieved. Get down and let us fight together via various ways.

We started this high-place Sit-In after having done all we could have, gaining nothing on the ground. To say just get down and fight together sounds absolutely vein to us. We do understand your agony, KIA Motors division. Yet we can never solve the illegal dispatch problem through this-defensive attitudes. All we ask you is that you, the permanent and the temporary employees, make one in one Union and do your best for fighting. Our request for money is also out of our worries about our families, not for ourselves residing here where there is no need for money or wallet at all.

Helplessly feeling so sorry and thankful all the time and never knowing when this situation can end, one thing we know for sure is that it is we the Sitters-In who do want to go down and fight together with all. We do expect that the Union make the just decision proper for the Union’s responsibility for society, without damaging the Spirit of the Union which has been grown upon many forgoers’ sacrifice and devotion so far.

Recently comrade Choi has been suffering from stomachache problem; Dr Cho Gyooseok and Gilbut Oriental Medicine Doctors’ Association, Milyang Mini Farm Cooperative which sent side-dishes and foods, and Hangryn Church congregation member Ms. Yoon Seonjoo who prepared todays’ lunch, we thank you all so very much today, too.

May 27, the 352ndDay–

The Vicious Hyundai-KIA capital: Let Us Fight!

The electrical board (on which we have been staying) is loudly vibrating thanks to a performance preparation in the Plaza. The stage is facing right onto us; good that we can enjoy the performance, too.

We see the frustration and fatigue on our comrades’ faces, the convention continuing 14 days so far. A half day yesterday and a half day today again, watching the repeated opinions and opinions, we the Sitters-In also cannot help feeling bitter. The executive branch continues to repeat its unchanging opinion today again; it seems they are going to make a decision maybe Monday.

We cannot add any flesh where there is not a bone structure ready beforehand. This is why we have been worried about the executive branch not having any stance. The reason why we started to do this high-place Sit-In is that we fight against the vicious Hyundai-KIA capital illegally exploiting us the Union members, not that we urge you admit our fight as one of the Unions’. It is the same, that the Union does not have any fight plan although anticipating the company won’t have any progressive plan for the negotiation, as that the Union does not have any willfulness for the temporary employment abolition fight.

It’s never a big deal we the Sitters-In physically step down some stairs to get down from this electronic board. Yet we the Sitters-in did not climb up here for our honor. We climbed up here only because it is the thing someone should do. We would not even have started had we found any hope on the ground.

Reverends Cho, Hunjeong and Whang, Hyunsoo had come gave us up some soup before they left abroad for their sabbatical leave. We will never forget that you prayed for us giving hope to us when we were having the hardest time. Do take care of your health and have a nice leave!

June 5, the 361stDay–

We are relieving our Sit-In.

It is very hot today.

We are relieving our Sit-In. This might be the last journal we write up here. Yesterday, our former branch representative, comrade Yang, Gyungsoo, climbed up here onto the board. We shared long talks about the current situation, our health, and so on. We the Sitters-In also did a lot thought, too. Since we knew it had been the fight we could not end shortly, we could stay healthy with all yours’ support and help, overcoming even burn and frostbite.

The fruits of our Sit-In are that the company (which absolutely had no intention to negotiate) responds to the special negotiation demand and that we have made our society know about the illegal dispatch problem, but it feels so regrettable that we have to get down not seeing the final destination of our journey. Yet the illegal dispatch abolishment fight is being in the process. Our high-place Sit-In will also be recorded as part of the holistic procedure. Since we know there will be more strenuous fight ahead us, we will prepare another fight, continuously.

Too many people have helped us, and it is never possible for us to show our acknowledgement to you all. We will make band together with those in suffer, never forgetting what you all have given to us. We will visit you and say thank you as soon as we find chances.

Thank you.

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