HiteJinro Headquarters Occupied for Four Days
No Major Clashes After Rally
HiteJinro Files Lawsuit Against Union Members for Illegal Acts
On the 18th, the third day of the protest by the Cargo Solidarity of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, occupying the Hite Jinro headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, a banner with their demands was hung on the building's exterior wall. Workers are staging a high-altitude sit-in on the rooftop billboard. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Amid the ongoing unresolved conflict between the Cargo Solidarity of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and Hite Jinro, the Cargo Solidarity's occupation protest at the headquarters has entered its fourth day.
On the 19th, according to the police and Hite Jinro, about 70 Cargo Solidarity union members staged a surprise occupation of the Hite Jinro headquarters building and have continued their protest for four days. The main entrance is blocked, so employees are commuting through the back entrance, and the lobby and rooftop are also occupied. Since the large-scale rally the previous day, there have been no significant clashes. The Cargo Solidarity held a large rally in front of the headquarters the previous afternoon with about 1,000 participants, condemning the company while demanding the withdrawal of damage compensation lawsuits and injunctions for obstruction of business.
Hite Jinro has filed a complaint with the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul against the Cargo Solidarity union members occupying the headquarters. The charges include obstruction of business, special trespassing and refusal to leave, attempted arson of a building, and violations of the Assembly and Demonstration Act, totaling four charges. The police are reviewing the applicability of these charges. The schedule for the complainant's investigation has not yet been set.
The conflict between the two sides has continued for five months. About 130 truck owners affiliated with Suyang Logistics, a subcontracted freight transport company of Hite Jinro, joined the Cargo Solidarity under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions at the end of March and began partial strikes, escalating to a full strike in June. Since the general strike of the Cargo Solidarity, they have continued obstructive actions such as illegally parking trucks near the entrances of the Icheon and Cheongju plants or blocking access roads. After police intervention resolved situations like shipment suspensions, they moved on to occupying the headquarters.
They are demanding increases in transportation fees and empty container freight charges, as well as payments for vehicle advertising, idling, and waiting costs. Additionally, they are demanding the reinstatement of union members whose contracts were terminated and the withdrawal of damage compensation lawsuits and injunctions for obstruction of business filed against union members.
The Cargo Solidarity argues that since Suyang Logistics is a 100% subsidiary of Hite Jinro, Hite Jinro should actively engage in resolving the issue. However, Hite Jinro maintains that under the Subcontracting Act, the headquarters cannot directly intervene in employment matters.
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