Union representatives from the Lotte, Hanjin, Korea Post and Logen logistics firms hold a press conference in front of CJ Logistics' building in Seoul, Dec. 30, 2021. Yonhap
By Kim Jae-heun
The CJ Logistics delivery workers' union has requested delivery workers at Lotte Global Logistics, Hanjin Transportation and other logistics firms to join their ongoing strike, according to union officials, Wednesday.
CJ Group is one of the largest conglomerates in South Korea. It is comprised of numerous businesses in various industries: food products and food services, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, entertainment and media, home shopping and logistics.
If the workers at the two other companies follow CJ's delivery workers' union strike, the work stoppage will likely cause a bigger disruption to the country's logistics networks ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, one of the busiest periods of the year for delivery workers.
An increasing number of parcels have been delayed by CJ union's strike, which began on Dec. 28. In a bid to achieve their goals ― which are to force the firm to increase wages and improve working conditions ― more effectively, unionized CJ workers have been urging their counterparts at other firms to join their cause by stopping parcel delivery.
About 100 delivery drivers at Lotte and Hanjin working in Ulsan have already agreed to do so. Those based in Gyeonggi Province are said to be considering taking part in the walkout.
In addition, Korea Post workers declared that they will only deliver 190 parcels per day from now on, which is the lowest amount an employee has to deal with, according to the collective bargaining agreement they signed with the company last December. Considering that the Korea Post drivers have delivered an average 204 to 215 orders a day around previous Lunar New Year and Chuseok periods, the figure is comparatively small.
Hanjin has already reduced the volume of orders in parts of Gyeonggi Province to cope with possible delivery congestion due to its delivery workers joining the strike.
"We have sent additional staff from the headquarters to delivery centers so as to minimize customer inconvenience," a Hanjin official said.
Against this backdrop, the management of CJ Logistics has been scrambling to prevent its labor union's strike from spreading to other delivery firms. The company said that it will support an open discussion meeting between its local branch offices and their respective unionized delivery workers. The offer represents the first time that CJ's management has stepped back from its uncompromising position to hold a dialogue with its union.
Meanwhile, 299 CJ workers gathered in front of the residence of CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun in Seoul, Tuesday, to hold a hunger strike.
The union has also urged the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to verify CJ Logistics' argument that it has increased the bonus fee paid to delivery workers.
"Last April, the company agreed to raise the delivery fee by 170 won. However, it backtracked, saying instead that the number agreed upon was 140 won. CJ Logistics then said that 50 percent of that increased delivery fee is reflected in our monthly wages as the bonus fee, but we want the MOLIT to check the accounting. If the company accepts our offer, we will vote on whether or not to retreat from our strike immediately," a CJ union official said.
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