Hite Jinro Suspends Beer Shipments from Gangwon Plant Due to Cargo Solidarity Rally

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] The Cargo Solidarity of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) has been staging a sit-in, causing another halt in beer shipments from the HiteJinro Gangwon plant located in Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon Province.

According to HiteJinro on the 5th, Cargo Solidarity members occupied the entrance road to the HiteJinro Gangwon plant, making beer shipments impossible. About 150 Cargo Solidarity members are reported to be blocking the entrance road called 'Hitegyo' to the HiteJinro Gangwon plant.

Since the Cargo Solidarity began protesting on the 2nd, beer shipments from the HiteJinro Gangwon plant have been disrupted for four consecutive days. The plant produces beer products such as Terra, Hite, Max, and Filite. The day before, police deployed riot squads to secure passage for logistics vehicles, allowing shipments to resume, but shipments were halted again after just one day.

About 200 Cargo Solidarity members, who have been demanding increased transportation fees, have been staging a sit-in since the afternoon of the 2nd, using about 20 trucks to block the entrance roads to the HiteJinro Gangwon plant. These members are reportedly planning to continue the indefinite sit-in until their demands for increased freight charges are met.

In response, HiteJinro stated that it will hold those responsible for the business disruption accountable. HiteJinro pointed out, "More than 100 other truck owners, who have nothing to do with us, have been suffering since March due to Cargo Solidarity. It is wrong to come to the Gangwon beer plant, which is unrelated, and disrupt operations." They also rebutted, "The dismissed drivers had their contracts terminated by Suyang Logistics, and since they are not HiteJinro employees, we cannot directly dismiss them."

Suyang Logistics is currently negotiating with truck owners transporting soju from the Icheon and Cheongju plants. It is reported that Suyang Logistics has presented a final proposal including a 150% increase in holiday transportation fees, which the truck owners had demanded. Suyang Logistics has stated that truck owners who return to work by the 8th will not be held responsible, and for those affiliated with Myungmi International whose contracts were terminated, they will explore work arrangements if they wish to return.

Meanwhile, the possibility of a strike by the OB Beer plant union still remains. The unions at OB Beer's Gwangju and Icheon plants have been negotiating wages with management and will hold a vote next week on whether to accept the management's final offer. Initially, when wage negotiations stalled, the two plant unions decided to strike on the 1st but postponed the plan to continue renegotiations. If a strike by the OB Beer union occurs following HiteJinro's, disruptions in beer supply during the summer peak season, when beer consumption increases, seem inevitable.