[Public Voices] How Should We View the KCTU's Demand for Air Conditioner Installation at Logistics Centers?

Is the Demand for Air Conditioners at Logistics Centers Reasonable?
Examining the Facts Behind the Dispute Between the Union and Coupang

Professor Jinwoo Jeong (Department of Safety Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology)

The dispute over heatwave countermeasures at logistics centers between the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Workers' Union and Coupang is intense. The union side insists that air conditioners must be installed in the logistics centers and continues daily protests through building occupations and rallies. They claim that even minimal cooling is not guaranteed and have published a newspaper advertisement stating, "We are delivering air conditioners to Coupang logistics centers without air conditioners."

Is this claim a reasonable demand that truly reflects the facts? To get straight to the point, I do not think so. Coupang stated, "We have installed personal heating and cooling air conditioning units for workers, combined heating and cooling air conditioning systems, duct-type air conditioning equipment, large industrial fans, and portable air conditioners throughout the logistics centers." While not all are air conditioners, cooling devices have been installed.

In response, the union argues that without air conditioners, there are no cooling devices. A 'cooling device' means a device that lowers the temperature to cool the environment. The government also cites cooling fans and air circulators as examples of cooling devices in its heat illness prevention guidelines. Even without referring to government guidelines, it is common sense that cooling devices do not exclusively mean air conditioners.

The reason most large logistics centers do not have air conditioners lies in the building structure. Large logistics centers have ceilings as high as a 20-story apartment building and are constantly open due to frequent loading and unloading through docks. The absence of air conditioners in logistics center workspaces is akin to not installing air conditioners at gas stations where vehicles frequently come and go.

The government also recommends customized cooling measures suitable for the work environment. The Ministry of Employment and Labor's "Core Safety Measures for Heat Illness Prevention" distributed to industrial sites encourages installing cooling devices to maintain appropriate indoor temperatures, citing air circulators and cooling fans as examples.

The union criticizes the government for not mandating air conditioner installation, but relevant laws do not require cooling devices either. In principle, cooling devices should be installed, but if it is difficult due to the nature of the work, separate health hazard prevention measures are also permitted (Article 560 of the Industrial Safety and Health Standards). This takes into account places like outdoor workplaces or large logistics centers that are structurally exposed to the outside, where cooling device responses are difficult.

Even though taking health hazard prevention measures alone does not violate legal standards, if Coupang has installed many cooling devices throughout the centers, shouldn't that be positively evaluated? No legislation in any country mandates air conditioner installation as the only cooling measure.

Experts point out that in addition to cooling devices, measures such as 'water, shade, and rest' are necessary to prevent heat illnesses. This is why providing cool drinks, rest areas, and paid breaks is important. Coupang explains that it is also implementing these measures.

The union cannot be unaware of these circumstances. Yet, insisting solely on air conditioner installation and claiming that Coupang has installed no cooling devices at all?how should this be viewed? It is doubtful whether such one-sided claims can gain sympathy from other union members at the site and the public.

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