Part-timers’ labor union raises voice against inequity

“We invite you to attend our ‘Mang Mang Kku’ event to remember the bankruptcy of exploitive cafeteria.”

This is a memo on their Facebook page posted last month by the Alba Union (labor union of part-time workers), which was organized to protect part-timers’ interest and rights. The term "Mang Mang Kku" is short for decorate bankrupt MacDonald store in Mangwon-dong,, Seoul. The event was organized in support of part-timers who had not been paid their salary after the MacDonald store abruptly closed due to dispute between the franchiser and the franchise store. Organizers decorated the exterior of the store, which was shut down, by placing colorful balloons and placards on January 10. Residents who were passing by also joined them to place Post-it memos in a gesture of support. One week later, the owner of the franchisee store promised that he would pay the unpaid salary to the part-timers.

The part-timers’ labor union was established in 2013 to have voices of the unprivileged and deprived heard to society. The union carries out activities that are somewhat different from those conducted by ordinary labor unions, which often remind us of serious and solemn images. Just as those part-timers displayed at the Mang Mang Kku event, they express outcries and anger of young part-timers (as the disenfranchised) through a sense of youthfulness and brightness. “In the fourth year now since the union’s establishment, we still have so many issues to address including prevention of pay cut, securing of holiday allowances, and eradication of discrimination against female part-timers,” said Lee Ga-hyeon, leader of the planning team at the union.

The union has three sub-organizations, namely the union for movie theaters, the union for McDonald’s stores, and the union for convenience stores (to be launched). All these places are employers that hire many young people. “Discrimination against female workers is most rampant in movie theaters,” argued Yong Yoog-shin, leader of the union for part-timers at movie theaters. A movie chain run by a conglomerate levies untidiness penalty points to part-timers. The penalty points are handed to female part-timers who fail to do proper eye makeup, or to use red lipstick of a specific brand. “We are striving to discard the discriminatory rules, including forcing of female part-timers to wear makeup, and ban on wearing of eyeglasses,” Yong said.

There is also the term "Mac slave" used among part-timers. It means slaves of McDonald’s. The union for McDonald’s workers was established in November last year. The group is taking steps for collective bargaining with the McDonald’s Korea headquarters to raise issue with pay cut against part-timers, and unfair layoffs.

Choi Ki-won, spokesman for the Alba Union, has also been preparing for the launch of a labor union for convenience store workers since last year. The union will seek to raise voice over the working environment at convenience stores wherein part-timers are not even paid the full minimum pay, nor can they take a single minute off while on duty at the store. “There are young people who are working in unacceptable working environment wherein the convenience shop owner monitors a part-timer through CCTV and orders over the phone the part-timer who is sitting in the counter due to leg pain to stand up,” Choi said. “We will raise voice of warning against convenience store owners who disregard the legally binding minimum wage as if they are entitled to do so, as well as to improve working conditions.”

Go-Ya Choi best@donga.com