Film: Island of Shadows : (98 min.) 2016, S. Korea

Directed by Jeong-keun Kim
“Island of Shadows” shows the history of Korean Hanjin shipyard workers to defend their health and safety building a union. They built one of the most industrialized countries in the world yet now face the destruction of their lives because of company unions and government corruption.
Conditions are so horrific that it is acceptable that workers are regularly getting killed on the job. Slowly workers began to set up a union to fight for their human and labor rights; we hear from the voice of workers about this experience, their victories and defeats.
It also shows the despair that led union leaders to commit suicide in protest over their conditions. To understand the horrific conditions and sacrifices that these workers make to change their lives is to understand the power of the working class and how they can succeed despite repression and workplace bullying.
One of the worker leaders is Jinsook Kim, a welder at the shipyard who challenged the workers to support their rights by occupying the top of a crane for 309 days.
Her voice for justice and humanity resonates to all working people and human beings.
Following the film there will be an update on the Korean elections and a discussion about how U.S. workers can support the struggle of Korean workers.