KCCI: "Cargo Solidarity General Strike Is an Unjustified Collective Action"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] The Korea Employers Federation (KEF) criticized the Cargo Solidarity Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Workers' Union (Cargo Solidarity) for announcing a general strike on the 7th, calling it a "groundless collective action aimed at enforcing unilateral demands by holding the economy and logistics hostage."

On the 2nd, KEF stated in its 'Employers' Position on the Cargo Solidarity's Collective Refusal to Transport' that "Our economy is facing a crisis where production, consumption, and investment are all declining due to rising raw material prices and global supply chain disruptions."

KEF emphasized regarding the abolition of the sunset clause of the safe freight rate system applied to cargo transportation, which Cargo Solidarity is demanding, that "When introduced in 2018, it was implemented with a three-year sunset clause, with the premise that discussions on the necessity of extending the system would begin one year before the sunset," adding, "Currently, related discussions are underway."

Furthermore, KEF pointed out, "Cargo Solidarity's insistence on collective refusal to transport is a groundless collective action aimed at enforcing their unilateral demands by holding the economy and logistics hostage," and "The collective refusal to transport by Cargo Solidarity may fall under 'refusal to transport without just cause,' which is prohibited by the Cargo Truck Transport Business Act, thus there is a high possibility of illegality."

In addition, KEF argued that strict legal and principled measures should be taken when Cargo Solidarity engages in illegal struggles. KEF stated, "The repeated collective refusal to transport and illegal struggles by Cargo Solidarity largely stem from the government's lenient response to collective refusal to transport so far," and emphasized, "We hope the government will respond strictly according to law and principles to prevent such wrongful behavior from recurring and to restore the rule of law in the industrial field."