"10-Year Transport Fee Freeze" S-Oil Tanker Driver Strike

The First Labor Union in Oil Refining Companies
Alert to Its Spread

The Cargo Solidarity Oil-Tank Logistics Branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a general strike kickoff rally at 11 a.m. on the 21st in front of the S-Oil headquarters in Mapo-gu, stating, "We have sent formal documents through Cargo Solidarity three times, including a demand for an increase in transportation fees that have not risen for 10 years at S-Oil, and requested negotiations, but received no response." They added, "We will change the unreasonable structure completely through struggle."
Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] S-Oil tanker truck drivers have decided to go on a general strike after becoming the first among oil refiners to form a labor union.

The Oil-Tank Lorry Branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Cargo Solidarity held a general strike launch ceremony at 11 a.m. on the 21st in front of the S-Oil headquarters in Mapo-gu, stating, "We have sent formal documents through Cargo Solidarity three times, including a demand for an increase in transportation fees that have not risen for 10 years, and requested negotiations, but received no response," adding, "We will change the unreasonable structure entirely through struggle." They continued, "It has been 15 days since we started the strike in solidarity with the Cargo Solidarity general strike on the 7th. Now, we will proceed with strikes nationwide with oil refiner cargo workers."

After the launch ceremony, they submitted a collective bargaining proposal to S-Oil demanding ▲guarantee of basic livelihood rights for gas stations and transport workers ▲direct employment of transport workers after contract termination with transport companies (subcontractors) ▲S-Oil to bear 8% of the volume management fee borne by transport workers ▲fair distribution of operating profits to transport workers. Among drivers belonging to logistics companies contracted with S-Oil, some joined the Cargo Solidarity Incheon Regional Headquarters in April and participated in the strike, while drivers contracted with SK Innovation, GS Caltex, and Hyundai Oilbank did not join Cargo Solidarity and did not participate in the strike.

Cho Jeonghwan, head of the Oil-Tank Lorry Branch, said, "Although S-Oil has posted an unprecedented profit of 1.332 trillion won in the first quarter of this year due to soaring oil prices, tanker transport workers suffer from poor facilities and transportation fees," adding, "Not only S-Oil but also transport workers of other refiners are in poor conditions, so some SK Innovation transport workers have also joined the union, and union membership is expected to continue to spread across all four refiners."