Cargo Workers and CU Logistics Affiliate Reach Collective Agreement After 10-Day Blockade

Unionized cargo workers and the logistics affiliate of convenience store chain CU signed a collective agreement on April 30, 2026, ending a 10-day blockade of the chain's key logistics centers, Yonhap reported. Cargo Truckers Solidarity, an affiliate of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and BGF Logis sealed the agreement in a signing ceremony at the labor ministry's branch office in Jinju, a southeastern city 290 kilometers from Seoul.

The deal raises freight rates and improves working conditions for cargo workers.

Kim Dong-kuk, leader of Cargo Truckers Solidarity, and Lee Min-jae, CEO of BGF Logis, shook hands after signing the collective agreement at the labor ministry's branch in Jinju on April 30, 2026. The agreement increases transportation fees by 7 percent and guarantees paid leave once a quarter to truck drivers.

The conflict escalated after a fatal accident on April 20, 2026, when a union member in his 50s was killed by a non-union truck in front of the CU logistics center in Jinju.

The signing ceremony was originally scheduled for April 29, 2026, but was postponed by one day because both parties failed to agree on measures to restore the honor of the deceased union member. Cargo Truckers Solidarity stated that it views management's recognition of their bargaining autonomy and union status as the agreement's greatest achievement.

The two sides agreed to guarantee the basic labor rights of cargo workers by regularizing collective bargaining and withdrawing disadvantages resulting from strikes.

The agreement followed the recent enactment of the yellow envelope act, which made prime contractors more accountable for subcontracted workers and restricted businesses from claiming damages from striking workers. Higher-level logistics firms previously avoided direct talks with truck owners due to a multilayered outsourcing structure, according to details in the Yonhap report.