Cargo Solidarity and BGF Logistics Conclude Difficult Negotiations ... Signing Ceremony Set for 11 a.m.

The Cargo Solidarity Division of the Public Transport Workers' Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and BGF Logistics, the logistics subsidiary of BGF Retail, will hold the long-postponed signing ceremony for the collective agreement at 11:00 a.m. on April 30 at the Jinju branch office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor in Gyeongnam.

The Cargo Solidarity Union announced in a press release on April 29, "At approximately 11:49 p.m. on the 29th, a tentative agreement was reached regarding the deceased member (fallen union member)."

The Cargo Solidarity Union and BGF Logistics had reached a tentative agreement on the collective agreement during their fifth round of negotiations at around 5:00 a.m. on April 28, and originally planned to hold the signing ceremony for the agreement at 11:00 a.m. on the following day, April 29.

However, since the wording related to the union member who died after being struck by a transport vehicle at the Cargo Solidarity rally on April 20 had not been finalized, the signing ceremony was initially postponed to 2:00 p.m. and ultimately was put on hold indefinitely.

Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Younghoon (second from left), Lee Minjae, CEO of BGF Logistics, Kim Dongguk, Chairman of the Cargo Solidarity Union, and Kim Jooyoung, Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, are taking a commemorative photo after a tentative collective agreement during the negotiations between CU BGF Logistics and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' Cargo Solidarity on the 29th at the Jinju Branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor in Jinju, Gyeongnam. [Photo by Cargo Solidarity]

The tentative agreement reportedly includes the realization of transport fees, paid leave for delivery drivers, the complete withdrawal of applications for injunctions against obstruction of work, guarantees for legitimate union activities outside of work hours, and measures for restoring the honor of the deceased union member.

The Cargo Solidarity Union plans to lift the blockades at major CU logistics centers in Jinju, Jincheon, and other locations immediately after the signing ceremony.

BGF Logistics also stated that once the blockades at the centers are lifted, all centers and factories will resume normal operations within this week.

Earlier, the Cargo Solidarity Union demanded direct collective bargaining with BGF Logistics, the logistics subsidiary of BGF Retail, which operates the CU convenience store chain, and has been on strike at five logistics centers across the country, including Jincheon and Jinju, since April 5.

The union argued that work orders and transport fees are distributed from BGF Retail to BGF Logistics and then to transport companies before reaching cargo workers, who are classified as specially employed workers, and therefore insisted on direct negotiations with the principal company. BGF, however, maintained that, due to the contractual structure involving logistics centers, transport companies, and drivers, it is not the principal employer, and thus both sides remained at an impasse.

During this process, at a rally in front of the CU Jinju logistics center on April 20, a union member was struck and killed by a 2.5-ton cargo truck driven by a non-union member, and two others were injured, intensifying the conflict.

Following the accident, both parties held an introductory meeting on April 22 and began negotiations, eventually reaching a tentative agreement after five rounds of talks and final adjustments.

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