DELIVERY WORKERS TO STAGE MASS RALLY

[Anchor Lead]

The government and unionized delivery workers have failed to reach an agreement over how to improve couriers' working conditions. Delivery workers staged a protest on June 9. Korea Post delivery workers held a rally in Yeouido, Seoul all night to demand an agreement on sorting parcels. On Tuesday unionized delivery workers are to gather in Seoul for a mass rally.

[Pkg]

More than a hundred couriers have gathered at the Korea Post building late at night. They are demanding that additional staff be hired to sort parcels and extra fees be paid in compensation for the sorting process.

[Soundbite] "Take responsibility for sorting!"

The unionized delivery workers say that the Korea Post claim that it had paid necessary sorting fees is false. The union is demanding that the social agreement stipulating sorting as logistics companies' responsibility be implemented.

[Soundbite] Yoon Jung-hyun(Parcel Delivery Workers' Solidarity Union) : "We can't help but ask... who is responsible for the sorting, if to be compensated what is the timeline, and why can't they provide a clear answer?"

The Korea Post says it explained its fee overhaul plan at a meeting with unionized delivery workers last year, and later finalized the sorting fees. It also vowed a strong response against the delivery workers' illegal siege of its building. The labor union plans to stage a rally on Tuesday near the National Assembly, where a meeting on the social agreement is to be held. Thousands of unionized delivery workers from across the nation are to attend the rally, which will likely last two days. Police have vowed stern measures against any violations of virus prevention rules. The delivery workers' labor union says the long working hours is still a serious issue. They cited another recent incident where an overworked delivery worker fell unconscious after a stroke.

[Soundbite] Kim Jong-il(Colleague of courier who had the stroke) : "We work all night and come to work again in the morning. Our workday continues until 2 to 3 a.m. It's unbearable."

The prolonged strike will inevitably cause disruptions in parcel delivery. The social agreement council is to begin negotiations on Tuesday to reach a conclusion no matter what.