Incheon Airport's labor union to protest over hiring plan

Industry

Published: 29 Jul. 2020, 19:26

Incheon Airport's labor union to protest over hiring plan

Incheon International Airport Corporation’s labor union is planning to hold a protest on Saturday, urging the state-run corporation to be transparent about offering standard employment to subcontracted employees.

The protest, which the airport corporation calls a “cultural festival,” is in response to the airport corporation’s announcement last month that it would offer standard employment to subcontracted employees, including security guards. The decision was part of President Moon Jae-in’s pledge to upgrade contract workers at state-run companies.

The labor union’s first protest since the corporation’s establishment in 1999 is expected to be attended by the labor union, university students and civic group members.

Under the title of “finding the lost injustice, the protest will be attended by anyone who wishes to take part,” said Jang Ki-ho, the labor union’s chairperson.

“The airport corporation is pushing to convert the employment status in a way that is not agreed on by all the airport corporation employees. We’re not disagreeing on offering standard employment, but are arguing we can’t neglect [the airport corporation] damaging justice,” Jang added.

The labor union has been arguing that pushing to convert the employment status has led to the unemployment of some subcontracted employees, as those who started working for the airport corporation’s subsidiaries after May 12 need to undergo a public recruiting process.

May 12 is the day Moon went to the airport on his first presidential visit to scrap the contract employment system in the public sector.

A public recruiting process means anyone, other than the existing subcontracted employees, are able to compete. Those who fail the test lose their job since the airport corporation will be absorbing those businesses.

The protest will take place in Jonggak, central Seoul, at 7 p.m.

To combat the earnings loss from the global travel restrictions, Incheon International Airport is reported to be reviewing raising the passenger service charge by 3,000 won ($2.50) to 17,000 won, up 18 percent, next year. The charge is included in flight tickets.

Offering standard employment to subcontracted employees is also seen as a factor that could raise the airport corporation’s costs.

BY JIN MIN-JI, SHIN HYE-YEON [jin.minji@joongang.co.kr]