women's campaign carried out on obtaining minimum wage of 1 million Won -"Without money people can't help eating US mad cow beef"

 

women's campaign carried out on obtaining minimum wage of 1 million Won -"Without money people can't help eating US mad cow beef"

Women workers are making government officers with the mind of "Don't eat if you mind" eat US mad cow beef foods.

Date : at noon, 12th June, 2008
Where : in front of Dongwhat Duty Free Shop at Kwangwhatmoon
Organizers : Korean Women's Trade Union (KWTU), Korean Women Workers Association (KWWA), and Korean Women's Associations United (KWAU)

Minimum wages have been increased little by little. In 2008, the minimum wage is set as 3,770 Won per hour and 787,930 Won a month by a standard of 40 hours. However, the initial minimum wage was so low that it has hardly been able to catch up with sharply increasing commodity prices.

In 2008 there were only 8.3% increase compared to a minimum wage of 727,930 Won (3,480 Won per hour) in 2007. Most cleaners receiving minimum wages are female householders, and so their incomes usually mean those by their whole families. Demands made by workers receiving a minimum wage are desperate and urgent. They say "I would have no more wishes if I receive 1 million Won," the wage that they can maintain their minimum livelihood.  Let's look at an example:

< detailed monthly expense by Shin He-jung (KWTU member, at age of 27,  a council tenant>
loan interest of council house    200,000원
transportation                       60,000원
house maintenance & management   50,000원
taxes                      33,000원
Internet broadband                   23,000원
mobile phone & telephone            36,740원
living expenses including food       136,557원

private medical insurance            65,703원
subscription savings deposit          50,000원
pocket money & cost for culture     40,000원
others & money in reserve          100,000원
-------------------------------------------------
total              795,000원

Very low minimum wages are not just the money matter itself. Employers do not want to pay the increases due to increased minimum wages. In the case of women workers working at Kyungpook National University Hospital under KWTU's Daegu & Kyungbuk region,  the hospital has not paid the unpaid, although it has received a court decision that it should pay the increase due to increased minimum wages. According to National Statistical Office, the number of 1,890,000 workers received less than the minimum wage in 2007 from 590,000 workers in 2001. The mere number of 11.9% out of the whole Korean workers, who received less than the minimum wage, shows very light punishment given by the government.

 US mad cow beef has stroke Korea hard.  She thought it would be better to buy far cheaper beef, because she cannot afford to buy beef. However, rich people or high ranking public officers will not buy the US beef which may be contaminated by mad cow diseases although it is cheap, but when she was told that only poor people would buy US beef, she was so furious that she joined candlelight demonstrations.

Her thought and emotion was performed in a play: "Without money people cannot help eating mad cow disease foods"

-- Women workers receiving minimum wages usually eat instant noodles or Korean ddukbokki. However, beef in the type of powder is usually added to these foods. Under the situations they may be affected by mad cow disease because of the importation of US beef. But, public officers in charge of the situation sit back and clasps their hands behind their back saying "Don't eat if you mind." Women workers who receive minimum wages demand to the government that minimum wages should be realized and US beef should be stopped from importing.

"Cannot help" song:
Without money people cannot help eating mad cow disease foods

If prices are rising people cannot help starving

If people can't live in this situation

Minimum wages should be increasing

If 2MB government is not good

People can't help fighting against him

Minimum wages should be increasing