Jinro Union: ‘We will not back off if our survival is at risk’

The Hite Jinro Labor Union released a statement that it can no longer withstand the strike held by the Cargo Truckers Solidarity of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union under the Korean Federation of Trade Unions, arguing that the cargo solidarity’s strike is disrupting the transportation of soju and causing wage loss to its workers. Given that the Hite Jinro Labor Union is affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, the Cargo Trucker Solidarity’s strike could lead to a struggle between trade unions.

“The strike has caused workers at the Icheon factory wage loss as a result of being unable to work on last Friday (8 hours) and Monday (24 hours), respectively,” claimed the Jinro Labor Union of the National Food Industry Federation in its statement to the unionized truck drivers on Wednesday, “We cannot back off if the cargo truckers’ strike threatens the Jinro workers’ ‘right to survive.’”

“Many men and women in different age groups are working at the production site, among them are pregnant women,” stated the Jinro Labor Union. “ We are urging unionized truckers to refrain from swearing and using profane words.”

In an internal memo sent to the union members, the Jinro Labor Union criticized the cargo solidarity’s illegal strike that is directly impacting Jinro workers. “Driving managers to the site where dangerous illegal wrongdoings are being committed, forcing salespersons to deal with complaints from clients and drop in sales, and incurring wage loss to production workers due to delay in production,” they argued.


Dong-Jin Shin shine@donga.com