Incheon Airport Union Urges "Fairness in Regular Employee Conversion"

On the afternoon of the 1st, employees of Incheon International Airport Corporation and job seekers held a rally condemning the regularization of non-regular workers at Incheon International Airport Corporation at Gwangtonggyo Bridge, Cheonggyecheon, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The Incheon International Airport Corporation Labor Union of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) held a 'Cultural Rally to Urge Transparent and Fair Regular Employment Conversion' on the 1st near Gwangtonggyo Bridge in Cheonggyecheon, Jung-gu, Seoul. The union criticized the recent regular employment conversion process conducted by the company as hasty.

The union stated, "Although the union, the corporation, and experts reached an agreement on the method of regular employment conversion in February, Incheon International Airport Corporation President Koo Bon-hwan unilaterally broke the agreement and is pushing forward with a hasty regular employment conversion."

They added, "We are not opposing regular employment conversion itself, but opposing unilateral conversion without labor-management agreement," and demanded, "Stop the hasty regular employment conversion immediately and communicate with the union for a successful transition that meets the public's expectations."

Earlier, the company announced that about 1,900 passenger security screening workers would be converted to security guards and directly employed, sparking controversy both inside and outside. Existing employees and job seekers protested, claiming that the benefits received by the approximately 1,000 directly employed security screening personnel were excessive.

On the day, the union distributed masks and water bottles with the word "Fair" printed on them to participants. According to the organizers, about 1,500 people attended the cultural rally. The attendees shouted slogans such as "Equal opportunity, fair process, and just outcome."