On the 21st, after the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) nationwide parcel delivery union released a survey saying delivery drivers (Quickflexers) affiliated with Coupang Logistics (CLS) consignment sales agencies cannot take vacations freely, Coupang CLS countered that the claim was groundless.
The parcel delivery union held a press briefing that day and announced the results of an online survey of 679 Quickflexers. The union said, "Eighty-two percent of respondents said they cannot take vacations freely," and added, "The No. 1 reason for not being able to take vacations was concern over cleansing (retrieval of delivery zones) and the burden of chartered vehicle fees."
In addition, respondents' average daily working time was 11.1 hours, and meal and break time was 22.6 minutes. A total of 24.6% were delivering at night, and of those, 97% said they were continuing to work consecutively without sufficient rest. The parcel delivery union said, "Considering working days, working hours, and the number of deliveries, the working environment of Coupang Quickflexer workers is very poor."
In response, Coupang CLS said, "Of all consigned delivery drivers, 6,000—one out of every three—are taking a day off every day," and claimed, "According to a recent study by the Korea Society of Logistics and Technology, 62% of Coupang CLS delivery drivers deliver five days a week, while only 1–5% do so at other large corporate parcel couriers."
According to a survey conducted in Jul. by the Korea Society of Logistics and Technology of 1,203 consigned drivers at six parcel couriers, including Coupang CLS, CJ Logistics, and Logen, Coupang CLS had the highest rates: 66.7% took an average of five days off per month, and 49.7% took an average of eight days off per month (two days per week).
In that survey, the share of respondents who said they work five days a week or fewer was 62.0% for Coupang, higher than Kurly (5.0%), Lotte Global Logistics (4.0%), Hanjin Express and CJ Logistics (1.5% each), and Logen (1.0%). In addition, 79% of respondents said "Coupang CLS secures substitute workers and the agencies bear the expense."
Regarding the results of this survey, Coupang CLS said, "The union's survey results confirm that the CLS Quickflexer time-off rate is high."
According to the union's survey, the share working five days a week or every other week five days was 64.8%, similar to the Korea Society of Logistics and Technology's findings on working conditions at six parcel couriers. Although more than 80% of respondents said they cannot take vacations freely, 51.5% of drivers said they had taken three consecutive days of vacation. The top reasons were travel, rest, and leisure (59.7%), higher than family events (9.1%) and hospital visits (11.7%).
This is higher than the 49% share for three consecutive days off among Quickflexers found by the Korea Society of Logistics and Technology. By contrast, the share of three consecutive days off at the other five parcel couriers, including CJ Logistics, was in the 8.9–23% range.
Coupang CLS said, "Coupang CLS operates a system in which a consigned delivery company can enter into a contract only if it secures backup drivers from the contract stage," and added, "At general parcel couriers where a six-day work structure is entrenched, it is common to seek temporary external labor when there is a vacancy rather than securing backup drivers in advance."