Lee Jae-myung Launches Dedicated TF for Improving Delivery Workers' Conditions Including Death from Overwork and Unfair Contracts

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province is launching a 'Dedicated Task Force (TF) for Courier Workers Support' to assist courier workers facing difficulties due to long working hours and unfair contracts.

This task force is a dedicated policy consultation body aimed at resolving issues such as overwork deaths and unfair contracts of courier workers, which have recently emerged as social issues, as part of realizing Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung's 7th-term administration philosophy of 'Gyeonggi where labor is respected.'

The province held the first TF meeting on the 23rd and the second meeting on the 28th.

Taking this opportunity to form the task force, the province plans to discover and promote proactive and practical support policies that reflect the voices from the field.

First, to resolve unfair contracts that force courier workers to pay key money or deposits, a 'Dedicated Reporting Center' will be operated, and cases received will be actively addressed through a cooperative system with the Fair Trade Commission.

Additionally, to support courier workers suffering from musculoskeletal disorders and cardiovascular diseases caused by long working hours and repetitive handling of heavy items, the province will promote 'Industrial Accident Application Support' using the Village Labor Attorney system.

The province will fully cover the labor attorney appointment costs and assign village labor attorneys in regions convenient for courier workers to receive consultations, supporting industrial accident applications for occupational diseases.

For those whose mental health is poor due to continuous abuse from primary courier companies, agencies, and customers, psychological healing will be supported through the 'Emotional Laborer Psychological Healing Support Project.'

Furthermore, using the 'Our Company Health Doctor Project,' a health promotion program for courier workers will be operated, and to prevent safety accidents at courier logistics centers, inspections will be conducted in collaboration with the Gyeonggi Branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

To this end, 'Labor Safety Keepers,' which will be expanded to 104 people next year, will be dispatched to the field for thorough inspections.

In addition, 'Visiting Labor Rights Education' will be conducted for business owners and courier workers, and a 'Public Campaign' urging not to demand unreasonable deliveries during severe weather will also be carried out.

The province will actively discover tasks for system improvement as well.

It plans to actively propose to the central government to include provisions distinguishing 'sorting workers' and 'delivery workers' in the draft bill for the Living Logistics Service Industry Act, support the bill to abolish the exclusion of special employment workers from industrial accident insurance, and ensure that the Fair Trade Commission's 'Standard Transportation Contract' and 'Courier Standard Terms and Conditions' reflect provisions allowing delivery delays during severe weather.

Governor Lee Jae-myung mentioned the death accident of a courier worker on his social media (SNS) on the 27th, stating, "COVID-19 has created a boom in the untact industry, but behind the boom were the cries of workers," and added, "I earnestly request companies, the government, and the National Assembly to shorten working hours, introduce sorting personnel, apply industrial accident insurance, and furthermore establish continuous safety nets."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.