Five-Day Cargo Solidarity Sit-in Protest
Negotiations Fail Again... Difficult to Reach Agreement
HiteJinro Files Charges Against Occupying Union Members... Police Investigation Underway
On the 18th, the third day of the protest by the Cargo Solidarity of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) 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] The occupation of the HiteJinro headquarters by members of the Cargo Solidarity Union of the Public Transport Workers' Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions has entered its fifth day, with negotiations between both sides still facing difficulties.
According to the police and HiteJinro on the 20th, the previous day the company and the Cargo Solidarity Union held negotiations for about two hours but failed to reach an agreement. The union demands include an increase in transportation fees, reinstatement of union members whose contracts were terminated, and withdrawal of lawsuits for damages and injunctions against obstruction of business filed against union members. The Cargo Solidarity Union argues that since Suyang Logistics is a 100% subsidiary of HiteJinro, HiteJinro should actively engage in resolving the issue. However, HiteJinro maintains that under the Subcontracting Act, the headquarters cannot directly intervene in employment matters.
About 30 Cargo Solidarity Union members stormed the HiteJinro headquarters building on the 16th and have been holding a sit-in protest for five days as of this day. Since the large-scale rally, there have been no major incidents, but on weekdays union members have blocked the main entrance, forcing employees to enter and exit through the back gate. Banners demanding "Crush union oppression," "Withdraw damage claims and injunctions," and "Reinstate all dismissed workers" remain hung on the building's exterior walls. On the afternoon of the 18th, the Cargo Solidarity Union held a large rally in front of the headquarters attended by about 1,000 people, condemning the company and demanding withdrawal of damage claims and injunctions.
The Cargo Solidarity of the Public Transport Union under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a rally on the 18th in front of the Hite Jinro headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, demanding the withdrawal of collective layoffs and damage compensation lawsuits by Hite Jinro. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@
HiteJinro has filed a complaint with the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul against the Cargo Solidarity Union members occupying its 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. A HiteJinro official has appeared at the police station and completed the complainant investigation.
The conflict between the two sides has continued for five months. About 130 truck owners affiliated with Suyang Logistics, a subcontracted cargo transport company of HiteJinro, joined the Cargo Solidarity Union 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 by the Cargo Solidarity Union, they have obstructed transportation by illegally parking trucks near the factory entrances of the Icheon and Cheongju plants and blocking access roads. After police intervention resolved issues such as shipment stoppages, they proceeded to occupy the headquarters.
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