Angry Tada Drivers File Criminal Complaints Against Lee Jae-woong and Park Jae-wook "Due to Lack of Communication"

The Tada Driver Emergency Response Committee filed a complaint on the morning of the 9th in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, against former Socar CEO Lee Jae-woong and CEO Park Jae-wook for alleged violations of the Dispatch Act and the Labor Standards Act. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] As Tada is discontinuing its Basic service at midnight on the 11th, drivers filed a complaint with the prosecution against former SoCar CEO Lee Jae-woong and current CEO Park Jae-wook on the 9th.

Kim Tae-hwan, the emergency response committee chairman for Tada drivers, stated at a press conference held in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, "The reason for filing the complaint against the two CEOs is due to lack of communication," adding, "We visited the company to protest and issued statements through the media several times, but former CEO Lee and CEO Park have not responded at all."

The Tada emergency committee submitted a complaint on the same day accusing former CEO Lee and CEO Park of violating the Labor Standards Act and the Dispatch Act.

According to the emergency committee, the complaint includes the claim that people contracted as dispatched workers cannot be dispatched to transportation services, but Tada violated this rule. Tada drivers are divided into dispatched workers employed by dispatch companies and freelancers (individual business owners). Article 2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Dispatch Act includes "driving work under the Passenger Transport Service Act" among the prohibited tasks for dispatched workers. This means that workers dispatched through staffing agencies cannot be directly commanded or supervised to perform automobile transportation services.

The emergency committee also raised concerns about indications that Tada conducted "illegal labor supervision" over freelance drivers.

Shin In-soo, a lawyer from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, explained, "It is very clear that Tada drivers who are under the employer's supervision are workers under the Labor Standards Act," adding, "Tada drivers must operate according to fixed times and schedules. Taxi drivers can go wherever they know, but Tada drivers can only follow routes given through the instructed map. Compared to taxi drivers, it is very clear that they are workers." He further stated, "Even if Tada wants to discontinue the business, they must provide proper compensation according to the Labor Standards Act."

Meanwhile, regarding the prosecution complaint filed by the Tada drivers' emergency committee, SoCar stated that they will not issue any special position.