Hundreds of armour-clad thugs from a private strikebreaking firm raided the site of a peaceful protest against a management-imposed lockout at the SJM car parts factory in Ansan, South Korea, on July 27.

Thirty four workers were injured and many were taken to hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The private strikebreakers were fitted in full riot gear with helmets, shields, sharp iron parts and meter long clubs. They sprayed fire extinguishers to obscure the workers' vision as they went on a club-weilding rampage.

At the same time as the brutal attacks took place, workers for another auto part manufacturer, Mando Co, were also locked out by management. The workers were all members of unions affiliated with the Korean Metal Workers Union (KMWU).

The July 27 incidents took place after workers at the two companies were involved in collective bargaining. Mild industrial action was taken, involving short work bans, one-day partial strikes and work slowdowns.

However management responded by locking out its entire union workplace and unleashing armed thugs onto the workers. This is clearly an example of management manufacturing a crisis to violently crush the unions.

The strikebreakers were from a private company called Contactus. They specialise in strikebreaking and union busting.

Their main clients are three firms: Sangsin Brake, Valeo Electrical, and 3M Korea. All three have used Contactus to crush their unions within the past two years.

This company has grown rapidly since the 2008 election of right-wing President Lee Myung-bak. Upon election, Lee Myung-bak vowed to take a hard line against unions.

Contractus has links with the Lee administration. It was his personal security service during his election campaign. Its legal representation is handled by law firm Yeonpo, comprised of Lee's political allies.

Opposition parties are calling for an investigation into the relationship between the Lee administration and Contactus. It appears that its rapid growth and ability to get away with violent acts is due to protection from above.

Mando and SJM make car parts of South Korea's major car makers. There is little doubt their union-busting actions were encouraged and possibly planned by the major car manufacturers that are contracted to buy their parts, in a bid to drive down labour costs.

In May last year, workers at the Yoosung factory in Asan (contracted to supply bearings to Hyundai) were in a similar situation, while they were locked out by management a document emerged showing the involvement of Hyundai motors in the entire episode.

Oh Min-gyu from the Korean Committee of Irregular Workers' Union explaied that this is not an isolated incident. Oh said it is part of a drive by the employers to use violence and dirty tactics to smash unions and contract out labour: “Recently, we've seen one union after another crumbling at workplaces that had previously maintained good jobs through the efforts of democratic unions …

“This is not just an issue for that particular company ... It has an impact on the entire labour market.”

Over the past two years, there have been many examples of companies using dirty tactics against key unionised workplaces. Unions have been smashed in key union strongholds, such as Valeo Electrical Systems, Sangsin Brake, KEC and Yoosung.

Lockouts and use of hired goons have become trademark methods of union-busting in South Korea. The workers are locked out and management prolongs the dispute. Contracted labour and scabs are slowly brought in and management-controlled “yellow” unions are formed.

It has been reported that Mando has set up a fake company-controlled yellow union on July 30 to draw workers away from the KMWU-affiliated union.

The events in Korea are not isolated. They are part of a global drive by capitalism to preserve profits at the expense of workers. Union- busting and contracting out are part of the drive by the entire capitalist class to make workers pay for the economic crisis.