"At This Rate, More Will Collapse" Repeated Deaths of Delivery Workers, Is There No Solution?

13 Delivery Workers Die from Overwork This Year
Labor Groups "Delivery Companies Must Propose Measures to Improve Working Conditions"

On the 21st, delivery workers were sorting packages at the CJ Logistics Gangnam 2 Branch terminal sorting site in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The photo is unrelated to any specific expressions among the workers. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "In reality, I am doing work that doesn't even earn 2 million won.", "I am so exhausted."

Recently, cases of delivery workers dying from overwork or financial hardship have been occurring one after another, making the harsh working conditions in the delivery labor field a social issue. This year alone, 13 delivery workers have died from overwork, raising calls to improve the structural problems in the delivery industry.

In particular, delivery workers spend 7 to 8 hours a day on the so-called 'kkadaegi,' which refers to sorting packages. However, there is no separate allowance for this work, and they are venting their frustration, demanding the abolition of this "free labor." Since they only receive a commission per delivery for the packages that are actually delivered, workers end up working unpaid for about half of their day. Labor groups are urging concrete measures to prevent the overwork deaths of delivery workers.

On the 20th, a delivery driver A (50) working at the Rosen Delivery Busan Gangseo branch took his own life after suffering from financial hardship. It was reported that he had been contracted as an individual business operator with the Busan Gangseo branch since February this year.

In his suicide note, A expressed that he started delivery work after paying an excessive goodwill payment, and after paying car installments and other expenses, his monthly income was less than 2 million won, causing various financial difficulties.

He lamented in the note, "It’s unfair. We have to pass a national exam, purchase a vehicle, and even prepare a dedicated license plate to do this work," adding, "But in reality, I am doing work that doesn’t even earn 2 million won."

He continued, "Even though areas where earnings are less than 2 million won should not recruit branch managers, they recruited them to reduce staff, took deposits, and sold goodwill payments." He also said, "Despite knowing that unloading work in the midsummer heat causes overwork deaths, they did not buy a used portable air conditioner for 1.5 million won, and about 20 branch managers were made to come out 30 minutes earlier."

Meanwhile, on the 12th, B (36), who worked at Hanjin Delivery, was found dead at home. It was reported that he had been assigned to deliver about 400 packages a day before his death.

According to the union, B sent a message at 4:28 a.m. on the 8th saying, "I took out 420 packages today. I’m leaving without even finishing 280," and "Even if I try to stop halfway, there are many packages to be delivered, mostly large ones, and above all, working until now..." He added, "When I get home, it’s 5 o’clock, I eat, wash up, and go straight to the terminal without a moment’s rest to organize packages again," and said, "I am so exhausted."

Text messages from Mr. A, a Hanjin Courier delivery driver, released by the National Courier Solidarity Labor Union. Photo by National Courier Solidarity Labor Union

The union claims B’s death was due to 'overwork death.' The union said, "He delivered until 4:30 a.m. and left a message to a colleague," and urged, "Please, anyone, give an answer in the face of the tragic reality of delivery workers."

However, Hanjin Delivery stated that the death was due to a pre-existing illness. The Delivery Workers Overwork Death Countermeasures Committee rebutted that B delivered 200 to 300 packages a day in the week before the Chuseok holiday, and that the time it takes for a Hanjin Delivery worker to deliver 200 packages is similar to the time a CJ Logistics delivery driver takes to handle 300 to 400 packages.

The issue of delivery workers dying from overwork is not new. One of the main causes of overwork among delivery drivers is the 'sorting work' conducted before delivery begins. 'Sorting work' refers to the task of finding the packages that the driver will be responsible for before transporting them, and drivers call this work 'kkadaegi.'

Delivery drivers typically perform sorting work from 7 a.m. until 1 to 2 p.m., past lunchtime. However, since they only receive a commission per delivery, there is no additional wage compensation for the sorting work that lasts more than five hours. In other words, even if they spend hours sorting, if they do not deliver packages, they do not receive pay, resulting in so-called 'free labor.'

Because of this, labor groups are calling for improvements in employment forms so that delivery workers can be protected under the Labor Standards Act.

Delivery drivers, who are classified as workers in special employment types, are eligible for industrial accident insurance, but most are unable to enroll due to implicit pressure from employers, regardless of their own will. As a result, those not enrolled in industrial accident insurance cannot receive compensation even if injured on the job, and are not subject to working hour regulations either.

Given this situation, labor groups and others criticize the lukewarm response of delivery companies and call for concrete measures to prevent overwork deaths.

On the 24th, the National Delivery Solidarity Labor Union and others held a 'Rally to Condemn Conglomerate Delivery Companies, the Main Culprits of Delivery Workers’ Overwork Deaths' in front of the Hanjin Building in Jung-gu, Seoul, demanding that delivery companies take responsibility for workers’ overwork deaths.

They said, "The Hanjin Delivery worker who died on the 12th sent a message to a colleague at 4:28 a.m. four days before his death saying, 'I am so exhausted,'" and criticized, "Hanjin Delivery only issued a superficial apology without any measures for late-night delivery or preventing recurrence of overwork deaths."

In particular, Park Seokun, co-representative of the Delivery Workers Overwork Death Countermeasures Committee, emphasized, "The murderous working environment for delivery workers has not improved, especially with no increase in personnel for sorting work or industrial accident insurance," and urged, "Delivery companies must take action to improve the working conditions of delivery workers."