Workers fired by text messaging

More than 160 striking unionized staff at credit card company get an unwelcome text message on their cell phones

Workers at South Korea’s third-largest credit card issuer got a very unwelcome text message on their cell phones from their employer: ‘You’re fired.’

KEB Credit Service Co. sacked 161 employees, or about a quarter of its workforce, after talks with striking unionized workers broke down, according to Reuters.

KEB said it had no other way of getting in touch with the workers than using text messaging. Unionized workers, who make up nearly 90 per cent of the firm’s 662 staff, have been on strike since mid-December when KEB was swallowed up by Korea Exchange Bank because workers were afraid of job cuts.

According to the union, the message gave employees the date the layoff was effective and the deadline for applying for voluntary retirement packages.

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