Coupang Union Warns Delivery Limits Endanger Worker Rights

The debate surrounding the delivery union affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' request to limit "dawn deliveri...

The debate surrounding the delivery union affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' request to limit "dawn deliveries (0–5 a.m.)" is intensifying, as more voices against the proposal are being heard among Coupang's delivery workers, who are the main parties involved. After the Coupang Partners Union—made up of subcontracted delivery workers—stated that "93% of drivers are against limiting dawn deliveries," the Coupang Union, which represents full-time delivery workers, has also raised concerns, claiming the restriction is "a form of retaliation against the Coupang Union, which left the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions." Coupang has more than 20,000 subcontracted delivery workers and over 6,500 regular delivery workers.

Jung Jin-young, 33, the head of the Coupang Union, stated in a phone interview with this newspaper on the 8th, "Removing early morning deliveries would reduce wages and lead to job instability for frontline employees, endangering their right to live. The actual need is not to arbitrarily stop early morning deliveries but to ensure rest rights." Jung began working at Coupang in 2016 and took night shifts for three years starting from 2019. Here is the Q&A with Jung.

- What occurs if morning deliveries are removed?

The most pressing concern is a decrease in pay. Coupang lets drivers pick their delivery time slots, with early morning shifts generating several million Korean won or more each month compared to day shifts. If early morning deliveries are removed, the income of these drivers will inevitably fall. Moreover, with a lower total logistics volume, even regular employees will experience deteriorated job security and working conditions.

-What is the reason behind the frontline's resistance to limiting early morning deliveries?

Several employees are only able to work during early morning hours because of personal circumstances. For instance, a union member shares caregiving duties for their mother with their siblings, alternating between day and night shifts. If they are unable to work the early morning shifts, they cannot support themselves financially. Many households with two working parents also have to work early shifts because of child care obligations. These employees risk losing their jobs if early morning deliveries are discontinued. In recent times, I have received numerous calls from union members who ask, 'Please assist us in maintaining early morning deliveries.'

-Some suggest that early morning deliveries might bypass the 0–5 a.m. period.

That's completely unrealistic. Even if deliveries begin at 5 a.m., someone needs to arrive earlier to organize the packages. Even if we generously consider that drivers start at 5 a.m., by the time they get to the delivery zones, rush hour starts. The traffic is dense, and using elevators is challenging. In such conditions, drivers have to visit more places in less time, which makes the work even more tiring.

-Why did you refer to the dawn delivery restriction as 'retaliation'?

When the Coupang Union was affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, there was never any conversation about limiting early morning deliveries. The Coupang Union left the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in 2023 as it did not receive any support in improving working conditions and was frequently used for political activities. The delivery union is mainly composed of day shift delivery workers. Our union has a larger number of early morning delivery workers. This is why the call to limit early morning deliveries seems like a threat to the Coupang Union, rather than a real attempt to safeguard workers' rights.

-Do early morning deliveries pose a risk to health?

I am also a frontline worker and support the idea that workers' health rights should be protected. However, what is needed is not a restriction on early morning deliveries, but rather 'guaranteed rest rights.' Coupang drivers operate on rotating shifts, and if their days off are not properly managed, they might end up working for more than a week straight. Rather than completely stopping early morning deliveries, institutional actions are required to prevent such continuous work and ensure drivers have sufficient rest between shifts.