The 2021 South Korean delivery workers strikes are a series of labour strike by delivery workers in South Korea in 2021.
Background edit
The delivery industry experienced a significant surge during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, with a 21% increase in the number of parcels delivered in 2020 compared to 2019. However, the 40 000 people who work as deliver couriers in South Korea face significant issues, including low pay, poor working conditions, and extremely long working hours.[1][2] Many delivery workers are forced to work up to 14 hours a day.[3] In 2020, at least 19 delivery workers were documented to have died due to overwork.[4] In August of that year, the South Korean Ministry of Labour issued a statement calling for logistics companies to ensure couriers got enough rest.[5]
Strikes edit
On 15 January, the Parcel Delivery Workers' Solidarity Union announced that it would hold a vote on a strike, saying that "even after logistics firms announced measures to prevent deaths from overwork (in October), one worker died and four others fainted due to overwork."[6] On 20 January, 91% of the workers voted in favour of striking, on a 97% turnout. The strike would be of indefinite length and was predicted to cause significant disruptions to deliveries around Lunar New Year.[7]
On 21 January, the union and logistic companies announced that a deal had been reached, under meditation from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.[8] The agreement would limit working hours to a maximum of 60 hours a week and 12 hours a day, along with limiting deliveries after 21h in the evening. The agreement would also see logistic companies create systems for sorting parcels instead of relying on delivery workers to both sort and deliver parcels.[9]
However, immediately following the agreement, doubts were raised about the implementation of the deal, with delivery workers at several locations through the country reporting that the companies were not implementing it. In response, the union announced that it would be re-launching the strike.[10] On 29 January, the strike was called off after the companies agreed to sign a legally binding deal, including government inspections teams to ensure that the companies followed the terms.[11]
On 4 February, further controversy over the implementation of the deal was sparked after the Association of Delivery Contractors issued a complaint saying that they had not been included in the negotiations and had not received any details concerning companies' plans to address the sorting issue.[12]
In April, a conflict occurred between delivery workers and a residential complex in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, after the complex banned workers from parking inside the complex but residents still demanded that workers make deliveries direct to their doors.[13] On 2 May, a delivery workers union representing 5500 workers affiliated with the KCTU announced that it would be holding a vote on whether to strike in protest against gapjil, an arrogant and authoritarian attitude or actions of people who have positions of power over others.[14] On 7 May, 77% of the workers voted in favour of striking, with strike action due to begin on 11 May.[15]
In June, delivery workers affiliated with the Parcel Delivery Workers’ Solidarity Union walked off the job at several companies, including CJ Logistics, Lotte Global Logistics, Hanjin Transportation, and Logen.[16] The union accused logistic companies of failing to implement the January agreement on working conditions, with an internal survey showing that 85% of delivery workers still had to both sort parcels without compensation before delivering them.[17] At companies where workers did not have the right to strike, the workers chose to begin work two hours late in protest. The strike involved around 10% of delivery workers in the country.[18] A rally held by the workers in Seoul was dispersed by police.[19] On 17 June, a new agreement was reached, where the companies once again agreed to limit working hours to 60 hours a week and pledged to hire workers to sort parcels by September.[20]
On 20 October, a number of delivery workers took part in the general strike called by the KCTU.[21]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Delivery Workers in South Korea Say They're Dying of 'Overwork'". December 15, 2020. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "South Korea's delivery men on the highway to hell". Asia Times. December 25, 2020. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ Chang, May Choon (June 13, 2021). "South Korea's delivery workers go on strike against overwork amid Covid-19". Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021 – via The Straits Times.
- ^ "They call it 'kwarosa'. Death by overwork is plaguing the nation with the longest work hours in the developed world". August 25, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-11-03 – via www.abc.net.au.
- ^ "'I thought maybe I would die': S Korea's delivery drivers demand change". November 3, 2020. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021 – via www.bbc.com.
- ^ "Delivery workers threaten strike ahead of Lunar New Year". The Korea Herald. January 15, 2021. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ Jun-tae, Ko (January 20, 2021). "Delivery chaos looms as parcel workers consider full-scale strike ahead of Lunar New Year". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Delivery workers, employers reach agreement on preventing overwork". The Korea Herald. January 21, 2021. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "South Korea delivery drivers, employers agree to reduce workload". UPI. Archived from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "Delivery workers announce strike in protest of unchanged conditions". The Korea Herald. January 27, 2021. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Delivery workers end strike after reaching deal with logistics firms". The Korea Herald. January 29, 2021. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Delivery deal could be undone as contractors cry foul". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "Delivery drivers plan partial strike after apartment complex limits access". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ Jun-tae, Ko (May 2, 2021). "[News Focus] Delivery workers to vote on strike against 'gapjil'". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ Jun-tae, Ko (May 7, 2021). "Delivery workers vote to strike over 'gapjil' from apartment residents". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Delivery strike ends as agreement is reached with union". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ Jun-tae, Ko (June 9, 2021). "Unionized couriers launch strike after failed talks with govt. and logistics firms". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Delivery workers' strike hits eBay Korea, sparing Coupang". koreatimes. June 15, 2021. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Delivery workers resume rally for 2nd day amid stalled talks on preventing overwork". The Korea Herald. June 16, 2021. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Deal reached after South Korean delivery drivers protest overwork". Nikkei Asia. Archived from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ Chang, May Choon (October 20, 2021). "Labour union stages rallies, strikes in South Korea". Archived from the original on October 31, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021 – via The Straits Times.