Changwon Special Mayor Hong Nam-pyo Joins Recycling Collection Effort ... Citizens' Support Increases

With the suspension of recycling collection due to the industrial action by environmental public workers affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), criticism from residents of Uichang and Seongsan districts regarding the halt in collection is increasing.

Furthermore, while citizens understand the legitimacy of a lawful strike, they warned that holding citizens hostage by suspending recycling collection will never generate favorable public opinion.

The Changwon Special City Government in Gyeongnam announced that Mayor Hong Nam-pyo visited the Sangnam commercial area in Seongsan-gu on the afternoon of the 6th, where recycling collection and street cleaning had been suspended since the previous day, to inspect the site and personally participate in the recycling collection efforts.

Hong Nampyo, Changwon Special City Mayor, visits the recycling backlog site to oversee the collection work.

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Since July 11, recycling collection in Uichang and Seongsan districts has been disrupted due to the industrial action by environmental public workers affiliated with the KCTU. The city has been striving to conclude wage negotiations with the environmental workers, but the significant gap in proposed wage increases between the two sides has made it difficult to reach an agreement.

In particular, since the 5th, 132 environmental public workers affiliated with the KCTU have launched a collective annual leave protest, resulting in a complete suspension of recycling collection and street cleaning in detached housing and commercial areas of Uichang and Seongsan districts.

Despite the sweltering heat, Mayor Hong joined the recycling collection efforts himself, working up a sweat to help ease the inconvenience faced by citizens.

Mayor Hong stated, "I deeply understand the inconvenience citizens are experiencing due to the recent delays in recycling collection. I sincerely regret the significant disruption to daily life," adding, "The city will prioritize alleviating citizen inconvenience and ensuring safety, and will do its utmost to resolve this situation as quickly as possible."

He continued, "A strike that holds citizens' daily lives hostage only breeds distrust, so I urge workers to return to their duties and propose reasonable negotiations."

Local residents said, "The strike by environmental public workers ignores the inconvenience faced by citizens. They should no longer hold citizens hostage with their strike," and urged, "We also ask the city to actively engage in negotiations."

Meanwhile, the city is implementing emergency measures to minimize inconvenience to residents caused by the strike, prevent public health issues, and avoid various safety accidents, including: operating an emergency recycling collection task force mobilizing all city employees; utilizing temporary workers by town, township, and neighborhood for street cleaning; strengthening pest control and hygiene activities to address odors and pests caused by accumulated recyclables; conducting intensive public campaigns urging citizens to refrain from and properly separate recycling; and continuing negotiations with the labor union.

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