While a delivery worker was eventually killed in a traffic accident while on duty, the labor union held a labor festival in memory of the deceased. The union defined the accident as an industrial accident and argued that fundamental measures are needed to prevent repeated deaths of delivery workers.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ service union held a memorial service for the late Cho Byung-chul, a delivery platform rider and representative of the union’s southern delivery platform branch, at Kyobo Tower intersection in Sinnonhyeon Station.
Earlier on the 9th, the deceased was hit by a taxi violating the signal while working on delivery at Kyobo Tower Intersection, but eventually died at the age of 62 on the 20th. After the funeral as the head of the labor union and the death of the union, the union gathered at the place where the accident occurred for Roh Jae.
Kang Kyu-hyuk, chairman of the Service Federation, who read the eulogy on the day of the accident, recalled the day of the accident, saying, “On the day of the presidential election, more delivery orders would have been placed on the deceased’s cell phone on the day of the accident.”
He pointed out, “Platform companies demand rapid delivery of major time zones through promotions, and the fee is monthly, so we have to drive motorcycles in a hurry today to do one more thing, but if an accident occurs, we are solely responsible.”
According to statistics from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the number of deaths from industrial accidents decreased last year, but delivery workers suffer accidents twice a year in the Corona era.
Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, said, “The repeated deaths of delivery workers prove that they are not just traffic accidents, but industrial accidents,” adding, “Delivery workers die due to speed competition at delivery platform companies.” The union, which read the resolution at the memorial service, pointed out that the speed competition of platform companies has put the lives of delivery workers at risk.
In addition, he insisted on the introduction of the ▲ safety delivery system ▲ establishment of a delivery deduction association and reflecting the budget ▲ preparing social dialogue for safety on the road. After the labor festival, the union wrapped up the memorial service by marching with 100 motorcycles to the Seoul Memorial Park along with the deceased’s funeral car.
Meanwhile, the union plans to hold a press conference in front of the presidential transition committee in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on April 7 and hold a 500-member motorcycle march on May 2.