[On-site Video] "Raise the Basic Delivery Fee Frozen for 7 Years" Riders Hold Group Protest in Front of Baedal Minjok Headquarters

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, PD Yoon Jin-geun] “Increase the basic delivery fee!”, “We really can’t make a living!”

Delivery workers took to the streets demanding an increase in the ‘basic delivery fee,’ which has been frozen for seven years. The Baemin Branch of the Delivery Platform Division of the Service General Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a rally on the afternoon of the 23rd in front of the headquarters of Baedal Minjok (Woowa Brothers) in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

In their declaration at the rally, they stated, “While Baedal Minjok invests in various industries, the basic delivery fee for delivery workers has not increased by even 1 won in the past seven years,” adding, “The minimum wage has increased by 65% over seven years. We are not recognized as workers and our basic rights are not protected.” They further emphasized, “If Baedal Minjok ultimately refuses to coexist with us delivery workers, we will prepare for larger struggles, including strikes.”

On the day, the KCTU criticized, “Delivery platform workers lose their basic labor rights when entering consignment contracts.” They continued, “They have worked as delivery workers relying solely on delivery fees while being deprived of basic rights such as the four major insurances, severance pay, motorcycle depreciation, and paid transportation insurance fees.”

Hong Chang-ui, head of the Delivery Platform Division of the Service General Union under the KCTU Service Federation, urged, “Increase the basic delivery fee to ensure stable income for workers.”

Kim Young-soo, head of the Baemin Branch of the KCTU Service Federation, criticized the low earnings compared to the labor input. He claimed, “Over 100 million calls are received by Baemin in one month, but individual workers have to invest about 10 million won to start delivery work and are not receiving fair compensation for their labor.”

Lee Seon-gyu, chairman of the Service General Union, pointed out, “The government and the National Assembly did not allocate a budget for the establishment of a delivery mutual aid association in next year’s budget,” adding, “The government shows no interest in the safe labor conditions of riders.”

Kim Yong-seok, head of the Daegu branch of the Baemin Branch, raised concerns about the serious regional disparities in delivery fees. Kim said, “The basic delivery fee in Daegu is lower than in Seoul, and distance surcharges are also discriminated against,” explaining that the company claims this is due to price differences between the metropolitan area and provinces. He added, “However, even among Baemin workers, the difference in basic delivery fees causes earnings to differ by nearly twice.”

Earlier, the union applied for mediation at the Central Labor Relations Commission on the 6th and held the first mediation meeting with the company, but no agreement was reached. The second mediation meeting is scheduled for today (24th).

About 200 union members who participated in the rally marched on delivery motorcycles to Jamsil Station, where the Woowa Brothers office is located. The union plans to continue collective actions, including strikes, if no agreement on coexistence with the company is reached.

Meanwhile, Woowa Brothers stated that the basic delivery fee for Baedal Minjok riders is 3,000 won, which increases to 3,500 won for distances over 500 meters, indicating that the wage level is not low. They also noted that in the collective bargaining at the end of 2020, the dispatch brokerage fee paid by riders was abolished.

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