Even Private Laundry Orders... Security Guard Power Abuse Still Ongoing

47 Damage Consultations from Last Year to the 15th of This Month

More than 400 days have passed since a security guard at an apartment in Gangnam, Seoul took his own life, but the reality for workers at the apartment has not changed.

On the 14th, representatives of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Democratic General Federation and security workers held a first anniversary memorial press conference in front of an apartment in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The civic group Workplace Bullying 119 announced on the 21st that among the email consultation requests received from January 1 last year to April 15 this year, there were 47 consultations from security guards, security personnel, facility managers, and sanitation workers working in apartments and other facilities. The people identified as perpetrators of harassment by the consultees were mainly the building managers, residents, and employees of service companies.

One worker appealed, "I requested separation measures because I thought the building manager’s unfair work orders and personal laundry instructions were excessive, but there was no progress, so I filed a complaint with the Labor Office." He added, "Even though I submitted evidence, the harassment was not recognized and the case was closed, and afterward the company notified me of contract expiration."

According to the "National Survey Report on Apartment Security Workers" published in 2019, 94% of respondents had short-term contracts of less than one year, and 21.7% had three-month contracts. When security guards with ultra-short-term contracts have conflicts with residents, their employment contracts are often not renewed.

There are also voices that the harassment issue against security workers is connected to the "primary contractor’s abuse of power." In the case of service companies that directly employ security workers, it is unlikely they will protect the security workers against the wishes of the building manager or residents.

Labor attorney Im Deuk-gyun of Workplace Bullying 119 said, "Security workers are easily exposed to abuse of power in the multi-layered service contract structure," and added, "To fundamentally resolve abuse of power against workers in multi-family housing, the scope of workplace harassment under the Labor Standards Act should be expanded, short-term contracts should be eradicated, and employment succession should be mandated when changing service companies."

On March 14 last year, Park, a security worker at an apartment in Gangnam, Seoul, died after complaining about the building manager’s abuse of power. After Park’s death, security workers who were his colleagues formed a labor union and demanded an apology and dismissal of the building manager identified as the perpetrator, but their demands were not accepted. Instead, on December 31 of the same year, the apartment notified 44 out of 76 security workers of contract expiration.

The union has been continuing a reinstatement struggle since January 10 in response to the apartment’s unilateral dismissal notice. On the 19th, the struggle marked its 100th day.