Press Conference Announcing Protest Plan at Coupang Headquarters on the 23rd
"Only Announced Portable Air Conditioner Installation... Never Seen It"
Harassment Over Union Activities, Contract Termination Notices Issued
Coupang Says "Will Engage in Negotiations Sincerely... Expanding Cooling Equipment"
The Coupang labor union attempted to visit the CEO's office in protest at Coupang headquarters on the 23rd.
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Coupang logistics center union has demanded the installation of heating and cooling devices, provision of paid break times, and wage increases from management. Additionally, as negotiations between labor and management repeatedly broke down, they have engaged in collective actions such as sit-in protests.
The Public Transport Union Coupang Logistics Center Branch held a press conference on the 23rd at Coupang headquarters in Jamsil, Seoul, to announce their struggle plan. Collective bargaining between the Coupang union and Coupang Fulfillment Services, which began in August last year, has made virtually no progress.
Park Sang-gil, Vice Chairman of the Public Transport Union, stated, "From August last year to April this year, we held seven practical negotiations and eight main negotiations," adding, "During the 15 negotiation sessions, Coupang never once submitted a counterproposal to the union's demands."
The union's main demands are the installation of heating and cooling devices, provision of paid break times, and wage increases.
The union demanded a living wage of 11,150 KRW per hour, but Coupang unilaterally announced this year's hourly wage at the minimum wage level of 9,160 KRW. They argued that considering the recent soaring inflation, the wage increase rate is effectively negative.
Additionally, Branch Chief Min Byung-jo said, "When the issue of cooling devices became a social concern last year, Coupang claimed that portable air conditioners were installed in all centers," but added, "However, most centers have never seen portable air conditioners, and even the Dongtan Center where I work has not installed any."
Min criticized, "This is a structure where even the most basic issues, such as labor environments that inevitably lead to fatal accidents, remain unresolved, and workers' freedoms are neither recognized nor respected."
A case of workplace harassment and unfair dismissal suffered by an employee due to union activities was also revealed. Jeong Seong-yong, head of the Incheon branch, said, "At Incheon Center 1, managers were called in to collectively harass Choi Hyo, the partial branch leader of Incheon Center 1, and forced him to write a letter of apology," adding, "Despite working diligently and reporting harassment to the company while engaging in union activities, he was notified of contract termination and dismissal effective on the 30th."
Jeong himself said he was unfairly dismissed in April when he should have been converted to a permanent contract after two years of service.
He raised his voice, saying, "Coupang's fragmented contracts have been revealed to be nothing other than a means of union suppression and workplace control through this unfair dismissal."
Following a strike vote held by the union from the 15th to the 19th, which recorded a 94.01% approval rate, they are preparing to proceed with full-scale collective action.
On that day, the union was blocked while attempting to visit the Coupang headquarters representative office in protest and held a sit-in protest in the lobby, submitting their demands and continuing the protest there.
The demands included a meeting with the Coupang logistics center representatives, △ measures against heatwaves △ sincere negotiations and collective bargaining △ immediate submission of management proposals △ guarantee of living wages △ reinstatement of unfairly dismissed workers △ resolution of harassment issues, among others.
In response, Coupang Fulfillment Services stated, "We prioritize the welfare of our workers and are conducting sincere negotiations with the union," adding, "We will continue to engage sincerely in negotiations."
Regarding the union's claims, they said, "We are steadily expanding cooling devices, including portable air conditioners, according to the situation at each workplace," and "Paid break times are also additionally provided depending on heatwave conditions."
They also stated, "The union's claim of unfair dismissal is not true," explaining, "The employees in question had their labor contracts terminated and were not renewed due to failure to meet performance evaluation criteria." They added, "About 90% of employees subject to contract conversion have had their contracts renewed or have been converted to permanent contracts."
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