Apartment security guards still suffer from power abuse by managers and residents

Members of the Korean Federation of Democratic Trade Unions and security guards of Daechi Seonkyung apartment complex hold a press conference against the 50 percent cut in security guards at Daechi Seonkyung apartment complex in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 28, last year. Jae-won Moon Reporter

An apartment security guard, Mr. A, was ordered by the manager to do unfair work that was not in his contract. The manager made him work during her breaks and even ordered him to do his own laundry instead. He filed a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, but the workplace bullying was not recognized. Mr. A was later notified by the company that his contract had expired.

It was found that security guards, facility managers, and sanitation workers are working in a structure vulnerable to workplace bullying. It is difficult for them to properly protest because of their ultra-short-term contract, and it is difficult to seek legal help due to the multi-level subcontracting structure. The labor rights group Gabjil119 analyzed 47 reports from security guards, facility managers, and sanitation workers since last year and released the main cases of them on April 21.

They were bullied by managers and residents. A security guard said, "I am receiving psychiatric treatment due to the manager's endless bullying, verbal abuse, and unfair work instructions. The manager directs work in a high-handed attitude, and he often gathers guards and threatens us to fire at will.” He added, "I reported his misbehavior, but I was the only one who was due to the end of my contract period.”

In one apartment, the president of its resident association was drunk and went into an electric room. When security guards stopped him, saying, "It's dangerous and you shouldn't go in there," the president said, "Employees with poor humanity should be fired." The guards who stopped him were eventually forced to quit the job.

Most of these workers are on very short-term contracts, which makes them more vulnerable to abuse of power. According to the ”2019 National Survey Report on Apartment Security Workers” published by the Joint Project Group for Research on Employment Stability of Apartment Security Workers and the Labor Relations Support Project, 94 percent of security guards were working on short-term contracts of one year or less. Even if they speak out against unfair treatment, they have to worry about the expiration of their contracts, let alone improvement of working conditions.

Multi-level subcontracting structure is also pointed out as a problem.

The main perpetrators of bullying are the managers and other employees of the original contractor, as the current anti-workplace bullying law does not cover harassment by employees of other companies, such as an original contractor. It is also practically difficult to deal with residents' abuse of power.

In March of last year, a security guard died at an apartment building in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, after complaining of bullying by the manager. His colleagues formed a union and demanded improvements, but the residents' representative council and the management office replaced the security service company on December 31 last year and notified 44 of the 76 security guards of their dismissal.

Lim Deuk-kyun, a labor attorney at Gabjil119 said, "In the current service contract structure, the power abuse of residents and managers is not only difficult to be recognized as workplace bullying, but also difficult for security guards to respond to it due to their ultra-short-term labor contracts.” He added, "The Labor Standards Act should expand the scope of workplace bullying, eradicate ultra-short-term contracts, and make it mandatory to succeed to employment when changing service companies to resolve employment insecurity."

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.