Gyeongnam School Workers' Union: "Cafeteria Workers Collapse from Heat and Overwork"... Urges Countermeasures

"School cafeteria workers are risking their lives working in cafeterias where temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius and humidity surpasses 80%."

On July 14, the Gyeongnam branch of the National School Irregular Workers' Union held a press conference in front of the main entrance of the Gyeongnam Office of Education, raising awareness about the working conditions of school cafeteria workers during the summer and urging for heatwave countermeasures.

The Gyeongnam branch of the union stated, "On July 7, four cafeteria workers at a residential public high school in Geochang received emergency medical treatment due to symptoms such as dizziness and vomiting," adding, "It is presumed to be caused by overwork and heat-related illnesses."

According to the union, the school's cafeteria staff consisted of one nutritionist, one chef, and five cooking assistants, totaling seven people. However, after one person resigned in early June and two of the four workers who received emergency care were hospitalized, the cafeteria has been operating with a shortage of three staff members.

The National School Irregular Workers' Union Gyeongnam Branch is holding a press conference in front of the Gyeongnam Office of Education. Photo by Lee Seryoung

The union explained, "This school provides three meals a day?breakfast, lunch, and dinner?and must prepare meals for 350 people, including staff, just for lunch." They added, "Although a temporary cooking assistant was brought in to fill the vacancy, there is still a shortage of one person, and remaining staff are forced to work up to 12 hours a day."

They further appealed, "It is common for cafeteria workers to miss meals in order to serve food on time, and many are so exhausted after work that they skip dinner altogether."

The Gyeongnam branch also reported, "About two weeks ago, at a school in Changwon, a school official turned off the air conditioner from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. while the cafeteria was being cleaned after lunch, citing concerns over electricity consumption."

The union added, "Due to budget constraints, summer work uniforms were not provided, so some workers had to work in winter uniforms."

Park Ssangsun, head of the Gyeongnam branch of the National School Irregular Workers Union, is delivering a proposal for heatwave countermeasures in school cafeterias to an official from the Gyeongnam Office of Education. Photo by Lee Seryung

The branch stated, "Workers have to fry food for two hours at fryers exceeding 200 degrees Celsius, and when they lower their heads to cook pancakes while inhaling the heat, they feel nauseous, dizzy, and vomit. Even just opening the dishwasher raises the temperature above 35 degrees Celsius and humidity over 95%. It is abnormal not to collapse under these conditions."

"Schools with improved ventilation have system air conditioners, which is somewhat better, but even then, the number of units is insufficient in some places. In schools without facility upgrades, workers have no choice but to use long, cylindrical 'cobra air conditioners' connected to the ceiling," they said, demanding countermeasures.

They also pointed out, "In June, the Gyeongnam Office of Education sent an official notice to schools regarding heat-related illness prevention measures for the summer, but at the field level, some are unaware of the notice or are not implementing its contents even if they know about it," urging thorough on-site inspections and guidance.

Additionally, the union called for the following: establishing rational staffing standards for schools providing three meals a day; thorough implementation of summer heatwave countermeasures at schools; and preparing and enforcing response guidelines?including suspension of meal service?in the event of air conditioning failure or heat-related illnesses.