First Day of Full Strike by Changwon City Environmental Workers ... Cafeteria Also Shut Down

While the environmental public workers in Changwon, Gyeongnam, are engaged in a strike against Changwon City over demands for better working conditions, it has been found that public workers at district office cafeterias have suddenly joined the strike.

According to Changwon City and others on the 5th, cafeteria public workers at Uichang and Hoewon districts suddenly applied for annual leave over the past weekend.

Previously, members of the environmental public workers' union in Changwon, affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, had been negotiating with the city since May after notifying the city of next year's wage collective bargaining, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement.

It is also reported that no agreement has been reached regarding the termination of contracts with Changwon City’s household waste collection and transportation contractors, which the union reported to the Ministry of Employment and Labor for unfair labor practices.

As a result, the workers began a work-to-rule strike on the 11th of last month, and from the 5th of this month, they have completely stopped working. Since last month, city hall and district office officials have been mobilized to collect recyclable waste.

In the commercial district of Sangnam-dong, Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, uncollected garbage bags have piled up, occupying the sidewalk.
Photo by Lee Seryoung

Uncollected recyclable waste has piled up in many places, including the commercial district of Sangnam-dong and throughout the streets of Uichang and Seongsan districts, resulting in complaints about foul odors and inconvenience. Meanwhile, waste collection in Masanhappo, Masanhoewon, and Jinhae districts remains smooth as it is handled by contractors.

In the midst of this, cafeteria public workers at Uichang and Hoewon districts, also members of the general union, did not come to work that day, forcing district office employees to eat lunch outside.

With strikes expected to spread to other city hall and district office cafeterias and the CCTV control center public workers, Changwon City plans to continue negotiations with each group while minimizing work disruptions.

A city official said, "Although public officials are collecting and transporting waste, it is not enough," and added, "We hope the workers will end the dispute and return to work to alleviate inconvenience for citizens."