Survey of 1,000 workers conducted by Workplace Gapjil 119

Photo is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
Photo is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

By Yang Geun-hyuk, The Herald Business

Three in 10 part-time workers have personally experienced gapjil — abusive behavior by those in positions of power — according to a civic group survey.

Workplace Gapjil 119, a labor rights advocacy group, commissioned polling firm Global Research to survey 1,000 full-time and part-time workers aged 19 and older nationwide from June 1 to June 9. The group said Saturday that 30.3 percent of respondents reported personally experiencing gapjil in part-time work settings, while 67.8 percent said they had witnessed it.

Among those who experienced gapjil directly, being spoken to in informal or demeaning speech topped the list at 61.4 percent, followed by verbal abuse including profanity at 44.2 percent and having objects or money — such as cards, cash or products — thrown at them at 31.4 percent. Respondents who witnessed gapjil reported the same ranking: informal or demeaning speech (36.8 percent), verbal abuse (26.9 percent) and thrown objects or money (18.9 percent).

When asked about unfair conduct by employers, wage-related gapjil such as unpaid allowances ranked first at 51.7 percent, followed by demands for unpaid labor at 39.8 percent and the imposition of fines or wage deductions at 30.3 percent.


yg@heraldcorp.com