[Hotline for Equality] Analysis of 2007's statistics on counseling

[Hotline for Equality] Analysis of 2007's statistics on counseling

Irregular workers experience more dismissals related to pregnancy and child delivery than regular workers in terms of gender discrimination counseling

≫ Women workers' situations through counseling analysis conducted by Hotline for Equality in 2007

by KimShin Hae-jung (KWWA staff member)

Hotlines for Equality (sited in 8 regions including Seoul, Incheon, Pucheon, Ansan, Masan & Changwon, North Cholla province, kwangju and Pusan) annexed to KWWA, received the total number of 2,353 cases related to female labor in 2007, (except re-counseling and male counseling). If we look at the characteristics of women workers who had counseling with Hotlines for Equality, 74.1% are married and 40.1% are over 40 years old, which means the great majority are middle aged married women. In addition, 62.1% work at very small companies with less than 30 employees and 44.1% are irregular workers.

■ 62.3% are working condition related counseling, which is somewhat increased compared to those in 2006

In terms of contents about counseling, working conditions such as wage delays and unfair dismissals accounted for 62.3% out of the total counseling in 2007, which was the highest percentage, maternity leave 14.1%, sexual harassment at workplace 11.1%, and gender discrimination 7.0%. In the case of changes in the contents about counseling for these 3 years, working conditions related counseling which accounted for 54.9% in 2006, increased dramatically in 2007, but counseling regarding gender discrimination, sexual harassment, maternity leaves, verbal and physical violences decreased a little bit. This shows that working condition related counseling increased due to worsening working conditions for women workers, caused by deepening social polarization and flexibility in the labor market.

<Figure 1:> Changes in counseling for these 3 years

■ Fewer irregular workers received maternity leave related counseling relative to regular workers

In terms of maternity leaves, regular workers accounted for 71.5% (158 cases), and irregular workers 28.5% (63 cases). Compared to the percent (21.9%) in 2006 there was an increase by 6.6% in the number of irregular workers. However, relative to regular workers, the percentage of irregular workers were very low, which shows the amended Maternity Protection Enactment does not well cover irregular workers who account for 70% out of the total number of women workers. In this regard, practical and feasible maternity protection related measures for irregular workers are needed.

Regular workers have a higher number of maternity leave and child care leave related counseling compared to irregular workers, but irregular workers received 3.6% higher counseling regarding others than regular workers. Basic maternity protection related counseling such as compensations for mansturation leave was discussed, which means women irregular workers work in poorer working conditions.

(Table) Distribution of maternity protection by employment type

		Maternity Protection			Total
		Maternity leave	Child care leave	Others
2007	Regular workers (%) %	90 (57.0) 70.9	46 (29.1) 75.4	22 (13.9) 66.7	158 (100.0) 71.5
	Irregular Workers (%) %	37 (58.7) 29.1	15 (23.8) 24.6	11 (17.5) 33.3	63 (100.0) 28.5
	Total %	127 100.0	61 100.0	33 100.0	221 100.0

■ 59.2%, Dismissal and disadvantage due to pregnancy and child delivery out of gender discrimination related counseling

Gender discrimination accounts for 7.0% (164 cases) out of the total counseling. In details, pregnancy and child delivery related gender discrimination was quite high, which accounted for 59.2% (34.8% pregnancy and child delivery related dismissal, and 24.4% disadvantages related to pregnancy and child delivery). pregnancy and child delivery related gender discrimination in 2007 rose by 16.7% relative to that in 2006, which shows pregnancy and child delivery have still affected women workers.

(Diagram) Distribution of gender discrimination related counseling

■ 81.3% high sexual harassment by seniors and bosses in workplace

increasing sexual harassment by business acquaintances and customers

11.1% (261 cases) out of the total counselees experience sexual harassment in the workplace. Women workers in their 20s accounted for 61.2% and women working less than 1 year 55.2%, and unmarried women workers 68.5%. This shows counseling regarding sexual harassment in workplace is usually undertaken by unmarried women in their 20s working less than one year.

<Table > Distribution of sexual harassment in workplace by characteristics between 2005~2007

Items	2005	2006	2007
No. of counseling (%)	269 (9.2)	357 (13.3)	261 (11.1)
Less than 20~30 years old (%)	118 (55.4)	131 (48.9)	123 (61.2)
Working less than one year (%)	105 (45.9)	139 (48.4)	116 (55.2)
Unmarried (%)	152 (64.4)	197 (62.5)	148 (68.5)

In the case of offenders of sexual harassment by type, seniors accounted for 41.2%, bosses 40.1%, coworkers 9.3% and others 9.3%. Out of the total offenders, 81.3% sexual harassment occur by seniors and bosses, which shows sexual harassment violates women workers' rights to work making use of position hierarchies in workplace.

Related to that in 2006, it is characteristic that sexual harassment was decreased by seniors but that sexual harassment by bosses was largely increased from 30.5% in 2006 to 40.1% in 2007, and that by coworkers was somewhat decreased to 9.3% in 2007. Other offenders were mainly business acquaintances and customers.

Because work environments has changed a lot, there have been increases in the number of subcontracted and dispatched workers, and so sexual harassment occurs not only in the companies with which women workers made contracts, but also by the third persons such as mother companies and related companies, and customers. In particular, one out of 3 women workers were employed in sales and service sector. Work environments of women workers have changed. Women workers are put in the blind spot of sexual harassment in workplace, if but the relation of employment is considered not actual task relation. Therefore, sexual harassment by the third persons such as acquaintances and customers should be regulated.