- Open Forum on the evaluation of the Action Center for Unemployed Women on its anniversary and the proposal of counter-measure policies for unemployed women
The KWWAU held an open forum on June 25 for the first anniversary of Action Center for Unemployed Women. In the forum the activities of the Action Center for Un-employed Women were evaluated and the countermeasure policies against women's unemployment were proposed.
The Action Center for Unemployed Women has conducted counseling, education, countermeasure policy implementation, research and study, and provided medical and financial assistance for daily living, organization of unemployed women, vocational training, etc. in eight areas of the country.
Through the evaluation of one year's activities, various opinions from every sector of society were collected for the proposal to the government. The forum opened with the presentation of Choi Soonim, Chief Manager of counseling in the KWWAU.
The main participants in the discussions, chaired by Dr. Kim Taehong from the Korean Women's Development Institute, were Nam Insoon, Deputy Secretary General of the Korea Women Workers Association United, Lee Sunghee, an expert on women's policies from the National Congress for New Politics, and Kwon Bokki, Chief Manager of Business
and Assistance of the Peoples' Foundation to Support Unemployment, shared ideas and opinions on self-development for overcoming female unemployment, future tasks and policy direction of women's organizations concerning the unemployment problem, and governmental policy concerning unemployed women.
- KWWAU -
- A plan for an open forum with regard to the "employment situation and the way ahead for unorganized women workers"
Since the IMF bailout, the situation for employed workers has deteriorated. In work-places which do not have a workers union, the situation is worse. It is assumed that their situation is really very bad considering the fact that the workplaces with no union are mostly small and medium size.
The KWWAU decided to conduct a study on these kinds of workplaces. The 1,691 cases detailed in the collected questionnaires and 20 inter-views were studied. These cases concerned unorganized women workers. The results will be shared and discussed in the forum.
- KWWAU -
- The 20th memorial ceremony for the patriot Kim Kyoungsook of YH
On August 29, the KWWAU will hold a 20th memorial ceremony for the patriot Kim Kyoungsook of YH jointly with the YH Fellowship. Commemorating the struggle of YH, which provided a starting point from which to destroy the Yooshin dictatorship, and admiring the martyrdom of the patriot Kim Kyoungsook, the KWWAU has observed her memorial day every year in Moran Park where her grave is located.
On this 20th anniversary of her death in particular, we will invite former women workers who were committed to the workers' movement and the workers who are currently active in pro-moting workers' rights.
- KWWAU -
- Special night for unemployed women, the project on the establish-ment of 'familyhood' to help unem-ployed families
Since May last year, the KWWAU has given W150,000 of aid to unemployed families every two months. The project has implemented many structural countermeasures on the unemployment problem and gives real and concrete help to unemployed women workers.
The KWWAU also held a 'Special Night for Unemployed Women' on May 28 in the House of Working Women in Guro together with unemployed women, those who had participated in training programmes, the volunteer teachers of after-school classes, and female public laborers. There was an Oreum performance and some of the successful case-histories were shared.
- Seoul Women Workers Association -
- The third "Preparatory Class to Find Work"
The Association is now holding preparatory classes to assist in job-finding. It held an opening ceremony for the third class on April 19. There are classes for mending clothes, making clothes, literacy teachers who also help children to vocalize their responses to what they are reading, computer training for secretarial jobs, tele-marketing, etc. We teach four subjects for a period of three months. At the moment we have 130 students.
- Ansan Women Workers Association -
- Spring Picnics in May for women head of household
We held a picnic for female household heads and their children in Nakan folk village on May 30. Entering into the "month of home", May, the programme was directed at recovering courage and love and overcoming difficulties faced. About a hundred people participated in the picnic. We toured some historical places followed by a pleasant lunch.
Then we had community games, writing letters to other family members, and sharing of the gifts of love. With the assistance of the Public Promotion, the participants were given delicious lunches and presents.
- Kwangjoo Women Workers Association -
- A campaign to create jobs by the Unemployed Women's Association
On April 14, the Action Center for Unemployed Women conducted a street campaign on the theme of "unemployed women looking for jobs", together with the members of the Women Workers Association and the Mutual Aid Women's Association.
After the campaign, a good number of recruitment offers were made. However, most of the contractors were asking for long working hours, low payment, and for women under 35 years old.
Most of the unemployed women members are in their 40s and 50s, and hence, the campaign did not yield much fruit. We were again strongly impressed by the difficulties faced by middle-aged women to find work.
- Masan & Changwon Women Workers Association-
- Skill acquisition and other necessary training for women workers
From April 6, working women were invited to night classes for telemarketing and training for teachers wishing to conduct classes on newpaper analysis and comprehension of important issues. The telemarketing class was taught for the first time and it received good feedback.
On May 20, 31 students of telemarketing class held a graduation ceremony. 41 women are currently attending the newspaper comprehension class. The classes will end on July 20.
- Puchon Women Workers Association -
- Short-term vocational training for unemployed women
Vocational training for women family heads was the only governmental program for low-income unemployed female family heads. However, it was held only once due to problems of government budgeting.
Therefore, the Association has begun to conduct the short term vocational training programme for the middle aged and low income women itself. The proposed training is for assistants capable of caring for patients, baby-sitting, and nursing after childbirth. The first training will be conducted with 25 women from July 1 - 31.
- Puchon Women Workers Association -
- Group counselling for women head of household
In order to provide a venue for unemployed women family heads to comfort each other and to help each other achieve the will to overcome the present situation, group counseling started from April. Three groups of ten women underwent group counselling for four weeks.
In the first week life stories were shared, the second week focused on identifying good personal qualities, the third week on controlling anger, and the fourth week on planning for the future. All participants changed a lot through the group counseling. They became more optimistic and cheerful, which in turn cheered up the staff.
- Inchon Women Workers Association -
- Job training program
In March and April two classes were provided for unemployed women household heads. After deep consideration on the situation of unemployed women, the classes were conducted to introduce the principles of managing small businesses and training was given at a basic level and in accessible language.
During the programme the partici-pants could share their information and promised they would contact each other if they came across job openings.
-North Cholla Women Workers Association -
- The sixth street campaign for unemployed women
The Association holds a street campaign every third Saturday. We have had six campaigns so far. About 50 unemployed women participate in the campaigns. Usually songs are sung with changed words, a performance is put on, three minutes speeches are given, etc.
It normally lasts one-and-a-half hours. Evaluating the six street campaigns, we have reflected that we should be more sensitive about the problem of women unemployment. On the first anniversary of the Action Center for Unemployed Women, the Association reflected on how much the demands of women workers have been realized.
We came to the conclusion that we should pay more attention to the demands of unemployed women and should provide more concrete and practical countermeasure activities for them.
- Pusan Women's Association -
- The struggle for reinstatement in Pusan Country Club
Last May, 21 caddies working for the Pusan Country Club were dismissed. The club dismissed many women citing reasons of old age and marital status. On May 16, the Women Workers Trade Union (currently being established) and the Pusan Women's Workers Association launched a protest rally in front of the Pusan Country Club together with the dismissed caddies demanding reinstatement and condemning sexual abuse within the workplace.
Directly after the rally, the situation was evaluated and a solidarity struggle was determined upon.
- Pusan Women's Workers Association -
- The fourth Women's Week ceremony - a campaign for the prohibition of sexual abuse within the workplace
The KWWAU will conduct a "campaign for the prohibition of sexual abuse within the workplace" in eight areas across the country as a project of the fourth Women's Week from July 1 to July 7. The campaign events will be held twice in every area.
The campaign will help women to recognize sexual abuse and take proper countermeasure actions. The campaign will also emphasize the responsibility of employers. We will spread awareness of the sexual abuse en masse.
Particularly in small workplaces and work-places with large concentrations of women such as restaurants and boarding houses, it has almost been impossible to conduct education programmes related to this issue. Therefore we are hoping to increase awareness through street promotions.
- KWWAU -