Municipal Nursing Home's 'Night-Shift Annual Leave and Paid Breaks' Dispute Continues for Months... Union: "Director Must Be Replaced"

[Financial News] Workers at Seoul Municipal Jungnang Senior Nursing Home took to the streets, demanding improvements to care services, sanitary conditions and working conditions. The union said it had called for the replacement of low-quality diapers, better sanitation at the facility and guaranteed annual leave for night-shift workers for months, but that nothing had changed. Ahead of the re-awarding of the operating contract in November, the union urged the replacement of the nursing home director and more active management and oversight by Seoul.
On the 1st, the National Care Service Workers’ Union held a rally in front of the Social Cooperative Dounuri office in Gwangjin District, Seoul, calling for improvements to the operations of Seoul Municipal Jungnang Senior Nursing Home and the replacement of its director. Dounuri operates the nursing home under a contract with Seoul.
The union returned to the streets because it determined that its earlier demands had not been properly addressed. It has called on the nursing home and Seoul to improve diaper quality; sanitary conditions at the facility, including air-conditioner cleaning; guarantees for night-shift workers' use of annual leave; and working conditions such as break times.
The union claimed that none of its key demands had led to any notable improvements so far. In particular, it said residents were still being given the same low-quality diapers as before and that sanitation problems at the facility, including the cleaning of air conditioners, remained unresolved.
Jeon Hyeon-uk, secretary-general of the KCTU Care Service Workers’ Union, stated, "When low-quality diapers are used, not only the diapers but also the sheets may need to be changed more frequently." He added, "Rather than accumulating funds carried over at the facility, they should be used to improve care services for residents and the facility's environment."
The dispute over working conditions has also continued. According to the union, the nursing home reduced or eliminated the existing paid night-break periods and introduced unpaid breaks while transitioning its staffing system from two shifts to three. The union also explained that annual leave, which workers had previously been able to use even on night-shift workdays, is now restricted.
Jeon pointed out, "Overall working conditions have deteriorated, with workers unable to use annual leave freely during night shifts and previously guaranteed paid break periods also being eliminated." He questioned, "Could the deterioration in working conditions be occurring behind the cost-cutting measures?"
The union argued that the current director should be replaced because the problems have persisted for an extended period. Dounuri has replaced directors of its affiliated facilities at regular intervals in the past, and the current director has served for about three years. The union therefore maintained that a new director should be appointed when the operating contract is re-awarded beginning in November.
A union representative said, "We have repeatedly raised these issues with Seoul, but nothing has changed." The representative added, "Because this is a municipal facility, Seoul must directly examine its operations and take steps to improve them."
[email protected] Lee Dong-hyeok Reporter