On the 20th, at a CU convenience store in Jung-gu, Seoul. It was past 11 a.m., just before lunchtime, but the fresh food display was empty. On the shelves where kimbap triangles, lunch boxes, and sandwiches should have been, there was only a notice saying there were "supply disruptions."
Office workers who came to a CU convenience store for a quick lunch were taken aback by the empty shelves. A person surnamed Cho (29), who works near Gwanghwamun, said, "I came to buy a lunch box and barely managed to pick out a single roll of kimbap."
◇Convenience store owners say sales plunge… heading to logistics centers themselves
The empty shelves at CU convenience stores are fallout from a strike by the CU chapter of the convenience store division of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). The Cargo Truckers Solidarity declared a strike on the 5th demanding better treatment for delivery drivers and, starting on the 7th, has been blocking access to major logistics centers and refusing deliveries. The BGF Food plant in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, was also blockaded on the 17th, halting operations the following day.
With the strike nearing two weeks, the biggest damage is falling on store owners. Ready-to-eat items like lunch boxes, kimbap, and sandwiches are core revenue products for convenience stores, but with supplies cut off, foot traffic is also down. A visit to five CU stores in Seoul on the day found owners saying in unison that "sales are down 10% to 30% from usual."
A person surnamed Lee (57), who runs a CU store in Jung-gu, Seoul, sighed as they pointed to the empty display. Lee said, "About 80% of kimbap and lunch boxes didn't come in compared with usual," adding, "It feels like sales are down 30%, and it's frustrating not knowing when this will end."
Some owners are going to logistics centers themselves to pick up goods. One owner wrote on an online owners' forum, "Desperate people dig their own wells, so I went to the center and loaded the goods myself," adding, "The damage falls squarely on the owners."
◇Cargo Truckers Solidarity invokes "the yellow envelope law, a new labor law aimed at strengthening the bargaining rights of subcontract workers," demands direct talks
Store owners want a swift resolution. The CU Franchisee Association held a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 16th, saying "sales declines and customer attrition are becoming a reality," and urged an end to the strike.
But the gap between labor and management remains wide. In line with the intent of "the yellow envelope law, a new labor law aimed at strengthening the bargaining rights of subcontract workers," which strengthens the bargaining responsibility of parent companies, the Cargo Truckers Solidarity argues it should negotiate directly with BGF Logis, the logistics subsidiary of BGF Retail. The company, however, says direct talks are difficult given its contractual structure with transport firms.
As logistics disruptions drag on, on-site clashes have erupted. In the morning, at a rally in front of CU's logistics center in Jinju, South Gyeongsang, a 2.5-ton truck collided with a union member, leaving one dead and two injured. In the afternoon, scuffles also broke out between police and union members, and a police officer was injured in the process. The Cargo Truckers Solidarity has announced a "full-scale struggle," with members gathering in front of the Jinju logistics center.