[vol.3] [On Assignment] Commemorative Rally Launched for March 8 International Women's Day
WORKING WOMAN 2008. 1. 30. 15:52The Korean Women Workers Rally to Commemorate March 8 international Women's Day
The Seventh Annual Korean Women Workers Rally was launched on March 3, l994, under the theme, 'Towards Social Equality and Employment Stability.' It was held in the Korea University campus in Seoul.
Amidst 500 production, clerical, and professional women workers, the rally created an enthusiastic spirit of hope for overcoming the problems of the present and building a better future.
All the speakers at the rally were united in criticizing the government for deteriorating maternity protection benefits. Last February 3, 1994, the Ministry of Labor's Committee on Women's Labor Policy passed the Ministry's proposed Basic Welfare Plan for Working Women; this proposal included plans to eliminate paid menstruation leave, relax labor standards regulations, and expand part-time employment.
In particular, Yon Sook of the Chung_kye Garment Trade Union stressed in her keynote speech that workers cannot submit to the government's effort to sacrifice their interests for the sake of international competitiveness. She also urged the audience to help secure employment stability for workers by opposing the enactment of the Worker Dispatch Law. Following her appeal for the equal right to work and maternity protection for women, the audience expressed its consent by a huge round of applause.
Part I of the rally ended with the reading and passage of the '1994 Women Werkers' Declaration' The declaration delineated the diverse and severe issues facing women workers and resolved to carry out a cross-class struggle to eliminate them.
The issues mentioned in the declaration included equal-pay for equal-work, gender-equal education, employment stability, expansion of job training and childcare facilities, and state/business responsibilities for maternity protection costs.
Unlike the issue-based programming in Part I, Part II featured cultural events such as traditional instrument and song performances, along with poetry readings, that allowed women workers to display their cultural talents. The mono drama performed by professional actress Kim Jin-sook was a particular success, this scene portrayed a working mother who, while having to care for a sick child, is given a choice by the company to quit or change her contract.
At one point in the performance, the character exclaims, 'Do you think marriage is some kind of industiral disease? We're overworked and refused pay raises, and now, you want to change my contract to part-time? Do you think I'm going to just sit back and take this treatment? No way. I'm going to stay and fight at this company until my bones are buried here!'
As the character pours out aIl her anger and frustration onto the stingy company president with pride and dignity. the scene instilled a passion, self-confidence, and pride in women workers in the audience who have to face such situations in their everyday lives.
The March 8 Women's Day rally was held not just in Seou1. but also in lnchon, Busan, Kwangju. and Masan.
Invitation and talk with the Minister Political Affairs( II )
The Cooperative Committee on the 86th Year Anniversary of March 8 International Women's Day used the March 8 event to hold an informal talk with the Minister of Politica1 Affairs( II ) regarding the issues raised at the rally. Twenty-four representatives from all sectors of the women's labor movement participated in the meeting.
These participants include representatives from the Korean Women Workers Associations United (KWWAU); Korean Women's Associations United (KWAU); Korea Women's Association for Democracy and Sisterhood (KWASD); Korea Trade Unions Congress; trade unions in the financia1/banking, university, professiona1, construction.
And publishing sectors; and women presidents of This meeting was signif`.cant in that it was the first time that the Minister of Political Affairs( II ) agreed to meet with women's labor representatives and discuss the issues facing women workers in the workplace. Lee Young-soon, president of KWWAU, beean by thanking the Minister and explained the reasons for the meeting.
Stating that women continue to occupy a low position in Korean society when considering the country's level of economic development, Lee mentioned the need to collectively and solutions for the problems of women workers. She went on to state that the women representatives hope that a more rational and systematic women's labor policy can be established and executed in the future.
0nce the meeting began in earnest, so many diverse demands and issues were presented that the time allotted was insufHcient to complete the discussion. Nevertheless, demands presented to the the Minister of Political Affairs (II ) included the following:
- Despite the fact that the government claim to regard employment equality its highest priority, unequal treatment of women rn the workplace continues to occur on a regular basis.
Responses to employment discrimination are proceeding only on a nominal basis. while newly introduced flexible labor policies perpetuate women's position as low-ranked workers in the 1abor force. As the government fails to lead efforts at monitoring discrimination in the workplace, unequal treatment of women in training, job post stationing. and advancement continues to occur.
- Women's rights are violated through the temporary, part-time, and dispatch emploltnent systems. Legal and institutional reforms, as well as feasible administrative measures are needed to protect the rights of non-permanent women workers. The Worker Dispatch Law must not be enacted as it will institutionalize discriminatory wages for women.
- A comprehensive plan for the promotion of women's employment is needed. A hiring quota for women should be implemented in public facilities and job training centers, and services such as employment information pamphlets must be implemented to resolve the lack of open employment opportunities for women college graduates.
In addition, the government must take up the burden of maternity protection costs, institute a gender-equal education system. and accept international standards concerning maternity protection.
- Union presidents from factories as close as the Kuro industrial complex and as far as electronics companies in Kwangju pointed out that worker reductions and social disrespect for low-wage workers have yet to be improved. They also stated that laid-off workers completely lack retraining opportunities for job transfers and hence, have no choice but to find work in the service sector.
- Other women representatives also asserted that sexual violence in the workplace must be seen as an employment issue and be treated by the Employment Equality Law.
Despite insufficiencies in time, this meeting proved to be an opportunity for trade union and women's organization representatives to present a broad range of opinions needed for the creation and execution of better policies regarding women's labor.