South Korea: Unionized truckers occupy Hite Jinro’s headquarters over wage and other disputes

Unionized truck drivers working for Hite Jinro Co. occupied parts of the leading South Korean liquor company's headquarters in Seoul on August 16 after staging a prolonged walkout at three of the company's local plants over wage hikes and other disputes, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

About 70 truck drivers affiliated with the Cargo Truckers Solidarity began a sit-in inside the Hite Jinro headquarters building in southern Seoul around 7 a.m. and some 10 of them went up to the rooftop, according to union officials and police.

The truckers solidarity, affiliated with the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union under the militant labor umbrella group Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, is demanding that the company withdraw a damages suit and other legal actions against unionized truck drivers, rehire dismissed truckers and raise trucking rates to "realistic" levels.

"Members of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity entered the company headquarters building around 6:10 a.m. and their illegal occupation is still under way, disrupting the company's operations," said a company official.

The first-floor lobby was occupied by the unionized truckers, and some members on the rooftop are reportedly carrying flammable materials.

The labor dispute dates back to March when 132 truck drivers belonging to Suyang Logistics Co., Hite Jinro's wholly owned subsidiary, joined the Cargo Truckers Solidarity and began a strike at two of the company's plants in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, to demand trucking rate hikes.

With no progress in negotiations, the 132 truck drivers were notified of contract termination in June, and Hite Jinro applied for an injunction to prohibit the obstruction of business at the Icheon and Cheongju plants and filed a damages suit against some of the drivers.

In response, the Cargo Truckers Solidarity held protest rallies at the two plants, attended by some 700 members, from July 22-23 and began a new rally at the company's plant in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, on Aug. 2.

Shipments of the company's main products, such as soju and beer, have been halted from the three plants due to the unionized truckers' rallies.

Hite Jinro is South Korea's biggest soju maker and the second-biggest beer company in terms of sales.

18 August, 2022