<You cut down the minimum wage? Get blood out of a stone!>
On June 25, 2009, a rally was held all day long in front of the Minimum Wage Committee although it was really hot. Most participants are middle aged women. It was the final official day to decide the minimum wage for the next year.
From 5 o’clock, the KWTU organized ‘a rally of women subcontracted workers to win 1,070,000 won minimum wage,’ which WADLJ sponsored. About 300 unionists working at outsourcing companies participated in the rally, starting the rally singing a changed popular song.
In her address, Park Namhee, president of KWTU blamed the management for its persistent insistence of the reduction by 4% and suggested to change the conservative policy stance of the current government by continuing the minimum wage struggle to local elections which will be held next year. Lee Kang-sil, a chairperson of Women Corea who gave a solidarity address criticized the policy stance of the current government briskly and strongly, after mentioning the current labor matters including the minimum wage and the Temporary Employee Protection Act.
Participants showed a group performance that they should win 1,070,000 won minimum wage at last through 10,000 signature seeking campaign: people’s feet presenting 10,000 signatures kick and burst out balloons of the reduction of the minimum wage and the retrogressive amendment of the Temporary Employee Protection Act, and people finally could win 1,070,000 minimum wage. The performance was followed by regional performances. In the regional performances, union members from 5 regions demanded to increase the minimum wage, singing the songs, making rhythmic movement, and encouraging each other through singing songs of struggles together. I thought the middle aged women workers are beautiful even though they are in difficult situations.
How come the government cut down even the minimum wage set at 830,000 won? Does the government know why the minimum wage is essential? The government only knows to tighten people’s belt. It seems to the government that the poor are not people of this nation. Do common people have to make sacrifices in order the rich would continue to lead wealthy lives? The government already cut down 20,000 billion for the rich every year.
On the next day, the meeting lasted in the Minimum Wage Committee. I am worrying about if the main goal of the minimum wage can be realized.