KCTU Gyeongnam Branch Files Complaint Against Yangsan Mayor ... "Must Take Responsibility for Garbage Truck Fatality"

The Gyeongnam branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has filed a complaint against the mayor of Yangsan, holding him responsible for the recent death of a worker who fell from the footboard of a garbage truck while collecting household waste in Yangsan.

On the 13th, the Gyeongnam branch of the KCTU held a press conference in front of the Changwon branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stating, "There must be a search and seizure and a summons investigation of the mayor of Yangsan to hold him accountable," as they submitted the complaint.

They argued, "Accidents could have been prevented by adjusting work zones, increasing staff, and dispatching garbage trucks that allow workers to ride inside, so that workers do not have to stand on the truck's footboard," adding, "The worker died because the city of Yangsan made no fundamental effort to establish measures to prevent serious accidents caused by truck footboards."

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Gyeongnam Headquarters is holding a press conference in front of the Changwon branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor regarding the accident in which a cleaning worker in the Yangsan area fell from a cleaning vehicle step and died.
[Photo by Lee Seryoung]

They further pointed out, "Yangsan city receives documents from contracted agencies regarding personnel, equipment allocation, worker status, emergency contact systems, vehicle route maps, work area diagrams, and work schedules," and added, "If anyone in the city had ever seen sanitation workers hanging onto the back footboards of garbage trucks while driving through Yangsan for over 20 years, they should have established countermeasures."

They also emphasized, "The Ministry of Environment ordered all local governments nationwide in 2012 to remove and improve illegal structures such as garbage truck footboards," and "If anyone had ever personally reviewed the documents submitted by contractors and private agencies, there should not be any footboards on the garbage trucks."

Kim Eunhyung, head of the Gyeongnam branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (left), and Kang Donghwa, chairman of the General Union of the Korean Federation of Public Services and Transportation Workers' Unions, are moving to submit a complaint.
Photo by Lee Seryung

According to the union, a sanitation worker in his 60s, Mr. A, who was employed by a contractor for Yangsan city, fell while riding on the footboard attached to the back of a 2.5-ton recycling collection truck at around 7:20 a.m. on July 11.

Mr. A, who suffered severe head and other injuries, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment but unfortunately passed away on the afternoon of July 15.

The union stated, "We hope for proper punishment in accordance with the Serious Accidents Punishment Act," and urged, "Yangsan city must not evade responsibility and should take the lead in protecting the lives and safety of workers employed both directly and indirectly."