Courier Union Launches Indefinite Strike... "Forced Sorting Work Generates Massive Profits"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Parcel delivery workers who have launched an indefinite full strike are urging, "Parcel companies must take responsibility for the sorting work, which is 'unpaid labor,' and immediately implement measures to prevent death from overwork."

The National Parcel Delivery Workers' Union held a general strike resolution rally on the 9th at the complex logistics center in Jangji-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, with about 2,000 union members attending. According to the union, in a strike approval vote conducted that morning among 5,310 union members, 92.3% (4,901 votes) voted in favor, passing the full strike.

The Parcel Delivery Workers' Union announced that, following the failure of a social agreement between the government and parcel delivery labor and management regarding the issue of death from overwork among delivery workers the previous day, they would begin an indefinite full strike from that day. Union members without the right to strike decided to protest by shortening working hours, such as starting work at 9 a.m. and beginning deliveries at 11 a.m.

The union stated, "Parcel companies and the Korea Post have forced parcel workers into sorting tasks, generating enormous profits for decades," and added, "The demand to postpone the application of overwork death prevention measures by one year means leaving workers exposed to long working hours and the risk of death from overwork."

They continued, "Korea Post, which should be the most exemplary in implementing the social agreement, has not deployed a single sorting worker so far, citing the need for 'its own research results,'" and demanded, "Improve the sorting work and apply sorting costs retroactively as per the first social agreement."

However, the union stated that while striking, they intend to participate in upcoming negotiations. The next social agreement committee meeting is scheduled for June 15?16.

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