Coupang to strike back against workers' protests for summer cooling essentials

Industry

Published: 25 Jul. 2022, 18:05

Coupang to strike back against workers' protests for summer cooling essentials

Unionized workers participate in a protest march to demand cooling devices be installed at fulfillment centers, carrying an air conditioner from Coupang’s office in Jamsil, southern Seoul, to its fulfillment center in Dongtan, Gyeonggi, on July 20. The workers attempted to occupy Coupang’s office following the protest, which the company plans to take legal action against. [YONHAP]

Coupang announced Monday it will take legal action against unionized workers who participated in protests and tried to occupy its building.

The company refused to specify what legal actions it will take.

Those working at Coupang’s fulfillment centers — managed by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Coupang Fulfillment Services — and part of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) have been protesting the lack of proper cooling devices at the logistics centers, demanding the company provides cooling.

KCTU is the more radical of Korea’s two major labor unions.

The workers occupied the lobby area of Coupang’s building in Jamsil, southern Seoul, between June 23 and July 20. They temporarily left the site from July 20 to 23 to participate in a protest march, walking from Jamsil to the company’s fulfillment center in Dongtan, Gyeonggi, but were prohibited from entering when they returned.

Coupang had asked the workers to not occupy its building in the future and to stop the protest by midnight on July 24, promising to negotiate with the union on a collective bargaining agreement on Aug. 4. But the labor union tried to enter the building again on July 23 to resume its occupation, to which Coupang says it will take legal action because the action went against its requests.

The workers were blocked by security and have since set up tents in front of the building as of Monday to continue their protest.

The labor union has been requesting that Coupang install air conditioning units at the fulfillment centers, claiming that there are no cooling devices. They also say they are only given one bottle of water for the whole day, which is not enough during the hot summer months.

Coupang refuted the claims, saying there are ceiling fans and air circulators at the fulfillment centers’ working area, along with air conditioning in the lounge on every floor. The company also said it gives two frozen water bottles to each person every day, provides free ice cream in the lounge and has "thousands" of water purifiers that workers can use.

“The Ministry of Employment and Labor states in its guidelines to prevent heat-related illnesses that cooling devices such as fans and air circulators are adequate,” said a spokesperson for Coupang. “The labor union is making false claims by saying that there are no air conditioners or other cooling devices.”

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]