Korean Women Workers Associations United
Seoul, Inchon, Puchon, Ansan, Kwangju, Mansan & Changwon, North Cholla, Pusan
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KWWAU |
Opening of "Cake Cafe Youth", a model shop for the unemployed women(Octboer 4)
The Action Center for the Unemployed Women Workers has opened a cafe owing to the support of "Friends of Love". The cafe, "Youth", is a model shop for women family heads who want to run a shop.
Even though they worry about much possibility of failure, they prefer to run a small shop since they are not welcomed by employers. In order to help them to run a successful business, the Action Center for the Unemployed Women Workers of KWWAU has opened the cafe which will be a venue for the unemployed women to practice and to learn how to run a business.
The model shop will accumulate various experiences of running business and to support and encourage many women family heads to make a successful business.
President's award on the Memorial Day of Gender Equal Employment of 1999(Oct. 8)
There was a memorial ceremony for the Day of Gender Equal Employment. Owing to the counseling activities and the other various activities of the Action Center for the Unemployed
Women Workers that have contributed a lot for the sake of women's reputation, KWWAU received the President Award together with the Korean Women United.
Forum on countermeasures for the middle aged unemployed women workers
The Action Center for the Unemployed Women Workers of KWWAU took the countermeasure for the middle age unemployed women as a serious and urgent task, and conducted research on the nature of recruits and job seekers.
From January to September of 1999, the research was conducted. 1,441 women job seekers, who contacted the counseling center in Seoul, Puchon, Ansan, Inchon, North Cholla, Kwangju, Masan & Changwon, and 500 places where there were workers looking for jobs. The result of the research was shared through a forum.
In the forum, we invited some of the middle age unemployed women in order to give them a chance to speak up for themselves. In the forum we urged the government to provide more effective plans for these women and to conduct an evaluation on the unemployment programs of the government.
International symposium on the cultural and economic effects of internationalization
There was a symposium with the theme of "Cultural and Economic effects of the internationalization" in Bangkok from the 12th to the 15th of November. Activists and scholars from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Korea took part in the symposium.
They had serious discussion and sharing on their own situation. Jin Young Park, a Senior Researcher represented Korea.
KWWAU Rally for 2000
-Establishment of the "Headquarters of the Movement to Restore the Rights of Irregular Women Workers(HMRRWW)
KWWAU held the KWWAU rally on March 5 this year together with the Korean Women Workers' Trade Union.
The rally was held celebrating the March 8th International Women's Day under the theme of expanding organized women workers and restoring the rights of the irregular women workers.
In the rally, "Headquarters of the Movement to Restore the Rights of Irregular Women Workers" was established in order to confront more serious problems of the irregular women workers and to implement more activities.
There were various performances including songs made by women workers, a play, and semi-opera performed by "Oruem", a Women's Cultural group. The rally ended with a dynamic "Daedong Madang", which is a traditional performance inviting all the participants to the stage.
There will be regional rallies in 7 areas proclaiming the establishment of KMRRWW.
Producing a film with the theme of "The History of Korean Women Worker Militants in the 20 Century"
So far there has not been a film which tells a full history of women worker activists. KWWAU produced the 15 minute film which shows the history of women workers in this country as a preparation for the rally.
The film includes the story of the late Joo Ryong Kang in the Japanese colonial period, the struggle for the democratization of the trade union in the 70s and 80s, and the various methods and issues of the 90s.
Opening of a counseling site for women workers on the internet
A counseling site wholly for the women workers has been opened.
The domain name is equaline which was opened on February 16. The site has a counseling center, news, resource center, and free talk. The counselors and labor officers in every WWA will counsel with the visitors. It is linked with other useful sites for the women workers.
The address of the site is http://www.equaline.or.kr
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Inchon WWA |
Participate in the campaign to amend the election law by Inchon Citizen's United for fair elections
Inchon WWA members took part in the campaign on February 19 and March 1. They signed an appeal for a clear and fair election
Expanding the list of unemployed women family heads who are under livelihood protection
Inchon WWA conducted research on those women family heads who were not included in the list for livelihood protection in collaboration with the district office.
In order to include the excluded unemployed women family heads, they have been working with the Inchon Headquarters for unemployment and 8 more small groups.
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Ansan WWA |
The fourth vocational training for unemployed women family heads sponsored by the Labor Ministry
Ansan WWA is conducting the 4th vocational training for unemployed women family heads during February 28 to April 27. The training has two courses for and tele-marketing and general helpers.
The general helpers course is to help the trainees to learn about nursing for women after delivering babies, house work, baby sitting, and assisting patients in order to have broad chances to get a job.
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Masan & Changwon WWA |
Restoring the rights of the irregular women workers
Nowadays a nu mber of women workers are transferring to irregular status and they are suffering from the employment condition. Masan & Changwon WWA has worked on the expansion of the Labor Standard Law over all workplaces in order to protect irregular workers, too. They are planning to strengthen the protection movement for irregular women workers
Research on indirect discrimination in the process of recruiting
The research on the working condition and indirect discrimination in the process of recruiting in March and April. In the process of recruiting, there are limits of age which decrease chances for the women workers. Masan & Changwon WWA is planning to work for a legal protest.
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Puchon WWA |
Anniversary ceremony for Women Labor Welfare Center
The Puchon Women Labor Welfare Center was established last April. The center was set up in order to improve welfare of women workers who are working in small and poor workplaces and were not included in the women welfare administration.
The center has conducted various works; social education programs, vocational training, job arrangement, and various research and forums. Monthly meeting of unemployed women family heads Monthly meeting for unemployed women family heads has been conducted in order to share information and have necessary education together.
They are planning to study the culture of youth in March and to work on role play. There are plans to provide a picnic inviting their children on April 5, the Day of Planting. Through the monthly meeting, unemployed women family heads can be more stabilized and have more systematic supports.
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Pusan WWA |
Hot line for women family heads and publishing a newsletter
Pusan WWA has opened a hot line for women family heads for counseling. The opening of the hot line was publicized through mass media and a good number of clients have called. They are planning to make more publicity and to provide fuller information.(Tel.:051-557-4215)
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North Cholla WWA |
Roundtable discussion with the Mayor of Iksan(April 29)
The unemployed women family heads are having hard time to find more stable jobs that can also guarantee child care. North Cholla WWA will hold a roundtable meeting with the Mayor of Iksan.
North Cholla WWA will propose the operation of a study room for the children of unemployed women family heads in the area where the workplaces are concentrated and will propose various
methods to create jobs for unemployed women family heads.
Korea Working Women's Network 2000