A statement from a former Worker of Opel Bochum for the workers of GM in Gunsan, Korea

In order to organize solidarity for the workers of GM in Gunsan, Korea, the metal workers union of South Korea, KMWU, asked the International Autoworkers Coordination for a statement from a former Worker of Opel Bochum, A GM plant which was closed by GM three years ago.

 

Solidarity ist further requested to hyewonchong@gmail.com

 

Read the statement:

 

My Name is Rainer Weinmann. I am 38 years old, male, and I have been working in the Opel-GM Bochum plant for 20 years. I have been a member of the works council in Bochum and I am member of our union IG Metall.

At the best times, in our plant worked up to 22.000 people. For 18 years they told us that GM suffers losses. They always told us that we should renounce only a few thousand jobs and only a little of our wages – and then the rest oft he jobs will be safe. And always they made a lot of promises about new models to be build in Bochum and about the shining future of our plant. Nothing has come true. At the end they wanted us to renounce once again to pay for our own funeral. We refused. Unfortunately we could not summon up enough bravery to fight harder. They had promised a bright future fort he other plants so that we stood quite alone. At the end of 2014, the last 3.000 workers of our plant lost their jobs when GM closed it. The vast majority is still seeking a new job.

I can only advise the Korean workers to take up the fight because only those who fight get solidarity. Those who do not fight earn only pity. That buys nothing. A fat lot of use that is.

Wishing you all the best!

 

In solidarity

Rainer Weinmann

 

Now shop steward in the Eisenach plant of Opel (now part of PSA)

 

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