Safe rates for truck drivers save lives

This will be a story that's familiar to you, no matter where you live in the world. In South Korea, 1,000 people die annually due to truck crashes because big corporations like Samsung and Hyundai force low rates onto truck drivers. Those drivers are forced to work long hours, overload their vehicles, and drive at dangerous speed.

Korean truck drivers work over twice the annual average for OECD countries, but as 'owner drivers' they are entirely unprotected by labour law.

After years of struggle, their union finally won historic Safe Rates legislation last year.

But their victory is now uncertain, and they're engaged in a life-or-death struggle to defend the Safe Rates system in the face of clients who want to derail negotiations, and the Korean government's lack of will.

The International Transport Workers Federation and the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union have launched a major online campaign on LabourStart to support Safe Rates in Korea -- and everywhere.

Please take a moment to show your support:

https://www.labourstart.org/go/saferates

And please share this message with your friends, family and fellow trade union members.

Thank you!

Eric Lee