▲ Sales workers of the Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea which is a Japan-based multinational pharmaceuticals company operating in Korea on January 11 hold a picketing in protest of wage discrimination and bad management behind closed doors in front of the head office in southern Seoul.(Courtesy of the Federation of Korean Chemical Workers' Unions)
The composition of some 200 employees hired by the Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea is a half of sales workers and the other half of desk workers, and sales workers are only unionized.
According to the Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea Union Local, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea successfully launched two blockbuster products last year which recorded an annual sales of 10 billion won(US$8.4 million). However, the union local complained that the contributions to the business success made by sales workers were not fairly compensated.
The union local argued that the basic and gross wages for desk workers are basically set higher than those of sales workers, which is not following the policy of the Takeda Pharmaceuticals Global Headquarters that fairly evaluates the contributions of researchers and sales workers to the company's success.
The Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea even sets a target sales of 50% increase for sales workers in a changed business environment which actually bars the sales workers from receiving the incentive pays for their increased sales. None of sales workers reaches the average wage of all employees of the Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea, while desk workers and directors enjoy better wages and benefits.
The Takeda Pharmaceuticals Global Headquarters began its regular auditing at the Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea from January 9 for the period of two weeks.
reported by Bae Hye-jeong
translated by Kim Sung-jin