“The Domestic Workers Protection Agreement,” which was considered as the last important issue of the international labor community, was passed by a majority at the 100th International Labor Organization general meeting on the 16th of June, with 396 votes in favor, 63 in abstention, and only 16 against.

            

We at the Solidarity for Care Workers' Legal Protection are very glad to hear that the domestic workers protection agreement was taken up by the international community and especially that the South Korean government is for the agreement, taking seriously the 300,000 domestic workers' demand. Now is the time for the South Korean government to ratify.

 

The 300,000 domestic workers have yearned for equal treatment as  respectable workers as well as basic benefits such as occupational health and safety insurance. They have been shunned from every kind of legal protection and social acknowledgement due to the prejudice that their labor is merely domestic and relevant only to women. Accordingly, domestic workers and civil labor organizations have been taking action for the amendment of the domestic law and ILO agreement since 2010.

 

What matters is that the Ministry of Labor has not been disclosing any information about the ratification except “the agreement in principle.” This might be a sign that the government is merely posturing that they are for the group of international nations, though it is quite encouraging that they went along with the agreement right before departing to Geneva.

 

Joining OECD and hosting G20 does not is not what promotes a nation's grade. Valuing the rights of the people and helping the disadvantaged class to work makes an advanced country.

 

Thus, we at the Care Workers' Solidarity demand for the government to clarify their plan and schedule on the ratification, in response to the keen interest of the global community on the agreement .

 

We suggest that the labor world, the groups who are concerned, and civic groups have a chance to discuss the issue together.

 

ILO agreements, generally, become effective one year after the ratification instruments of each nation arrives at ILO, which means that there still remains one year for the agreement to be actually effective after it is ratified. Also, to have the agreement ratified, it is necessary to revise the domestic law reflecting the present conditions of industry.

 

However, the government is not even capable of figuring out the reality of domestic workers and not ready to revise any legislation related to the Labor Standard Act, hiding behind the shield of “the exemption of the Labor Standard Act clause.” In the meantime, South Korea is one of the countries that has the poorest protection for domestic workers as they have been fundamentally alienated from legal protection. That is why we urgently need to minimize the initation period.

 


Thus, we at the Care Workers' Solidarity expect the government to work on the ratification in collaboration with the group of concerned domestic workers who have actually been involved in the act, the two umbrella labor organizations, and civic groups--not only on their own.

 

In the conclusion, We do appreciate that ILO signed the agreement for domestic workers, and the government has approved of it. We urge the South Korean government to prepare promptly and positively for ratification.

 

17th of June, 2011

The Solidarity for Care Workers' Legal Protection
Posted by KWWA
|