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A Coupang worker in his 30s collapsed from cardiac arrest on the canteen of the corporate’s logistics base in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, at round 10:30 p.m. Friday. He was taken to a close-by hospital the place he was pronounced lifeless. The employee had been working in a single day shifts from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. since September final 12 months.
Coupang got here below heavy criticism after stating — earlier than the police had decided an actual reason behind dying — that the worker had a persistent sickness, prompting accusations that the nation’s largest e-commerce platform operator was trying to deflect accountability.
The dying in Hwaseong got here simply days after one other deadly accident involving a Coupang employee. On Nov. 10 at round 2 a.m., a supply truck driver on Jeju Island, recognized solely by his surname Oh, crashed right into a road utility pole whereas working an in a single day shift. He died after being transported to a hospital. Within the week earlier than his dying, the 33-year-old had labored 83.4 hours with out a single break day and dealt with as many as 354 deliveries per day.
His working situations exceeded the Worldwide Labour Group’s really useful 48-hour most and Korea’s 52-hour authorized commonplace. Jeju Dongbu Police Station mentioned on Nov. 18 that it discovered no proof of alcohol involvement within the crash.
Three Coupang logistics middle employees on in a single day shifts have died whereas on obligation this 12 months. Since 2020, a complete of 27 Coupang employees have died whereas working, in keeping with the Taekbae Union, which represents couriers below the Korean Confederation of Commerce Unions (KCTU). A lot of the deaths have been amongst night-shift employees, with cardiac arrest, stroke and myocardial infarction cited as main causes in information experiences.
The Worldwide Company for Analysis on Most cancers classifies night-shift work as most likely carcinogenic, highlighting its extreme well being impression. In a single day labor stays central to Coupang’s enterprise mannequin, anchoring its signature Rocket Supply service, which guarantees supply by 7 a.m. for orders positioned earlier than 11:59 p.m.
To maintain the system, employees at Coupang Success Service, a Coupang subsidiary, typically endure relentless, tough shifts below subpar situations. One worker there mentioned he and his colleagues “grind their souls,” working six hours straight with out relaxation.
Bereaved relations of a Coupang night-shift supply employee who died on obligation on Jeju Island, Nov. 10, together with members of the nation’s supply employees’ union, bow in condolence throughout a press convention on the Korean Confederation of Commerce Unions’ workplace in Seoul, Nov. 18. Yonhap
Throughout a press convention on the KCTU workplace in Seoul on Nov. 18, staff defined that Coupang enforces no efficient safeguards towards occupational hazards like those that contributed to Oh’s dying. Coupang’s logistics subsidiary, Coupang Logistics Service, formally prohibits truck drivers from logging into their on-line clock-in platform for seven consecutive days to forestall extreme work.
Nevertheless, staff mentioned supervisors pushed them to make use of different employees’ IDs to bypass the system, permitting them to work seven days or extra with out a break day. The employees claimed that using these practices enabled the corporate to require evening shifts for as much as 19 consecutive days.
The supply union accused Coupang of “maliciously spreading unproven claims that staff’ deaths have been brought on by alcohol or persistent sickness,” including that the corporate should cease defaming the victims with baseless rumors.
Oh’s household mentioned Coupang made him work 12 hours a day for six days each week, describing it because the “worst labor situations,” and held the corporate chargeable for his dying.
“Coupang should meet with us in particular person, apologize and suggest methods to make restitution. We’ll file for this to be counted as an industrial accident and proceed pursuing accountability till the corporate admits accountability,” the household mentioned in an announcement.
On Saturday, the supply employees’ union proposed measures to enhance working situations, together with banning deliveries between midnight and 5 a.m.
“Coupang’s seven-day work ban is being ignored via using structural loopholes. The corporate can be forcing supply drivers to type parcels — work meant for different staff — growing their burden,” the union mentioned.
“We demand that Coupang admit malpractice, assure the appropriate to relaxation for employees on evening shifts, restrict evening shift hours to 46 per week and name on the Ministry of Employment and Labor to launch a particular investigation into the corporate’s unlawful office practices.”
Coupang founder Bom Kim poses in entrance of the New York Inventory Trade in New York Metropolis, March 11, 2021, the day the corporate was listed. AP-Yonhap
Authorized blind spot
Lots of Coupang’s roughly 20,000 short-term in a single day supply drivers are categorized below “particular varieties of employment,” a designation that stops them from reporting industrial accidents below Korea’s Labor Requirements Act. This authorized loophole permits Coupang to evade the nation’s Severe Accidents Punishment Act and keep away from offering some types of legally required advantages, comparable to the key social insurance coverage required for normal staff.
Bom Kim, the Korean American founder and CEO of Coupang Inc., which wholly owns Coupang Corp. in Korea and controls its operations, has remained silent because the variety of worker deaths has risen, drawing public criticism. Coupang Corp. CEO Park Dae-jun additionally has not introduced any countermeasures.
Earlier than itemizing Coupang Inc. on the NYSE in 2021, Kim resigned from all registered titles below Coupang Corp., eradicating himself from direct authorized legal responsibility tied to registered government positions in Korea. Regardless of this, he nonetheless holds over 70 p.c of voting rights in Coupang Inc., giving himself essential affect over the corporate’s operations. The Nationwide Meeting summoned Kim for nationwide audits on office deaths twice in October and several other occasions in earlier years, however he has by no means attended, citing his abroad residence.
Coupang instructed The Korea Instances on Monday that it has taken steps to deal with worker well being points.
Final month, the corporate introduced medical specialists to its logistics base in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, to offer consultations. In June, Coupang Success Service launched a nationwide marketing campaign to test temperature management situations at native bases as temperatures rose over the summer time. Psychological consultations have been supplied to staff in Might, and within the earlier 12 months, Coupang Logistics Service offered medical checkups for its employees.
Nevertheless, the corporate declined to stipulate any future plans to deal with the rising disaster of office deaths.
“As to the most recent dying of our worker in Hwaseong, the police investigation continues to be in progress. We would not have any official touch upon broader labor points at this level,” a Coupang official mentioned.
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