Min Na Park(Editorial staff of Seoul Women Workers Association)

Today, some women householders gather together. One woman is a 42 years old mother raising two daughters and a son by herself after her husband's runaway. Another is 39 year old divorced mother, who is raising a son in the fourth grade four. The other is a 51 year old woman who has been raising a son and a daugter by herself after her husband's death.

The current economic turmoil has presented serious barriers to them. But, they have managed to survive so far. Their children encouraged them to do their best and work hard. But the descendence of a sudden monster, the so-called IMF presents even more hardships.

How can they continue surviving while so many people are looking for jobs? Both single mothers and unemployed husbands have come out for jobs. Even housewives staying at home for many years have joined the queue, to take economic responsibilities as breadwinners. But, our economy has shrunk and become distorted. It is difficult to make a living and find jobs. This is not just the story of others. This is happening in our homes. Let's listen to these women householderss who have gone through so many difficulties.

• Story of Baek Mi-kyung with no tears (pseudonym, a 42 year old mother with two daughters and a son)

  I don't have any room in my heart to cry. In 1992 my husband's business went bankrupt. Creditors often chased my family. At that time, my third child became just three years old. But suddenly, my husband disappeared.. I didn't know what to do. I felt blocked by walls.

  I was resentful towards my husband, but I did not cry. At night, my family ran away from my apartment. I thought about going to my parent's home, but I felt that they were unlikely to welcome my penniless family. I didn't want to feel bad, so I rented a room with some money borrowed from a friend. Since that moment, my family has endured hellish battles. Fortunately, I managed to find a job as a bookkeeper , a job that I held before marriage.

  I tried not to let other know that I didn't have a husband. I would have experienced condemnation from this society if people knew, and my self-esteem would not allow that. I told my children that their father went overseas to earn money. My children have grown up nicely and studied hard. They comfort me a lot.

  One day, my sister's friend asked me to run a small shop together. I thought it would be better for my children in terms of economy and time. However, due to IMF, the shop had to be shut down. Now, it is difficult to find a job, even as a domestic helper. I have never allowed my children to starve. What I am the most worried about is their school fees. I shall do what I can. I have applied for public works. I can have managed so far...

• Story of Lee Kang-ja who divorced a playboy husband (pseudonym, a 39 year old mother with two sons)

  Just before my wedding, my husband mentioned he lived with his 9 year old nephew. However, this child turned out to be his real son. I had sensed that before, but I accepted that because I thought it wasn't the child's fault.

  However, my problem is my husband. One day, I received invoices from different banks. He borrowed money to finance his exploits with women. He made use of his job, a revenue office clerk to borrow money from banks. He was very irresponsible, and didn't care about the invoices at all. His sisters and brothers were not concerned either. They just thought his behavior was like his father's, a gangster who also played with women. I felt very frustrated by these people's coldness.

  We couldn't make a live nor pay the debts by his salary only. I was desperate. I started looking for a job, but this was very difficult. I learned how to sew through working at small workshops. I bought a sewing machine and worked at home, fixing clothes and making goods for home fashion. But, I couldn't make even 200,000 WON. My husbands was fired; however, his bad habit continued. We fought a lot. He started to beat me. One day, he broke my ribs. I didn't have any hope left in the marriage.

  I wanted to kill myself. But I couldn't, because my son just entered primary chool. I got divorced. I rented a room for my son me and even my step son. My husband was so irresponsible that he did not even care about his own son.

  I sewed at home, but I could not make a living. I worked at restaurants and did anything else that I could. I nearly re-paid all the debts that my husband borrowed under my name. But, suddenly Korea fell into this terrible IMF. I became unemployed.. I could no longer work at restaurants or sew at home, either. I don't know how to make a living during this time.

• Story of Mihn Kyong-sook shouting in front of her husbands tomb (pseudonym, a 51 year old mother with a son and a daughter)

  I usually blame my husband whenever my family goes to his tomb. Son of bitch, are you happy to die so early? It is not comfortable to raise my nicely-grown children all by myself, you son of bitch (laughing). He liked people and drinking, but he had poor lungs and high blood pressure. We often had to go to the hospital. When he drank with his friend one summer, the blood in his brain was torn. At that time, my oldest child was 6 years old, the other 4 years old, and I was 37 years old. I was just a housewife.

  Sighing. I was so upset. When we finished the 49 day ceremony after his death, I became a street vendor in front of the Bangbae middle school. Just when my business was getting better, the school moved to another area.

  Then, I sold flowers and worked as a promotion seller for cakes and yogurts in the street. I worked as a cleaner in apartment blocks. Since my daughter was so young, I had to take her with me. It was very difficult, both for me and my daughter. I have worked hard, and my children study very well. They never went to private study-guiding centers, but they were class presidents and studied very well. I was pleased. When my daughter was elected as student president in her primary school, I even became the leader of the parents' association of the school (laughing )!

  I also worked in a restaurant. They worked me like a horse. I worked hard, but they fired me because their businesswas not so good after IMF. I thought I could find another job, but nobody wants to hire me. Since I became unemployed two months ago, I have been feeling terrible.

  I have tried to find a job as a domestic helper, but younger mothers are preferred. I feel sad. I am anxious. Time just passes by while I do nothing. That is why I am angry when I think my husband just enjoy himself in the fresh air under the ground. Dying is nothing compared to making a living. I feel like he has no worries in the other world. I can do nothing except sell myself (laughing)!

• They Are Still Smiling.

  They smile a lot. I guess they have tried to give have hopes and inspiration for their children. I feel that. They are struggling to survive and will do so with much courage. However, the problem in society is that few people care about single mothers and grossly inadequate legal measures exist for women householders. This IMF period drives them into despair, driving them from their jobs.

  They share sadness. People ignore and look down on them when others know they are women without husbands. Others hurt them. Men start to play around them. Since they have gone through so much harassment, they never let others know their status. They said that their husbands are the problem if they are with them or not.

  I feel sad. In Korean society, I can empathize with women householders who are in great difficulties in caring for their family and establishing their egos. Let's have hope in ending this troubled IMF period as soon as possible. Let's make efforts to establish legal measures for them. Let's give others our warm hands to share with them. Let's change our society into the direction where women can stand up without having to dependend on their husbands.

Moh Yoon-sook (head of education and publicization of IWWA)

In 1996, 33 workers (25 women and 8 men) working in switch processing lines, have been poisioned by the solvent 5200 and have been disganosed with occupational disease. Malfunctioning ovaria has stopped the menstruation cycles of women workers with such symptoms and malfunctioning marrow has also resulted in pernicious anemia.

Since the chemical was not known to affect reproduction, they were exposed to the chemical, working without any ventilation for a month. Chemicals including organic solvents can affect future generations as well as damage the health of workers.

However, women workers affected by hazardous chemicals usually regard their symptoms as personal health problems. Moreover, women workers who resigned early have difficulty relating their symptoms with occupational diseases because they normally become sick after they stop working.

In spite of increasing women's participation in the manufacturing sector, their health conditions and industrial hazards in the workplace have not been examined. KWWAU and its three regional associations (in Inchon, Kwangju and Masan & Changwon), and the Labor & Health Research Center conducted surveys on situations in which using organic solvents were used, targeting 606 women workers working at 27 workshops in the electronic, electricity and chemical industries. The research was done between November 1997 and February 1998. The research results are as follows:

Research Outcomes

1. Surveying individual union members

   In terms of organic chemical uses and ventilations, 75.6% replied that chemicals are used partially or in all processes. However, only 28.2% answered that their workplaces have no type of ventilations facilities at all.

   30.6% said that factories have ventilation without additional ventilations for special processes. 11.1% complained that ventilation facilities do not work properly or work at all. 30.1% replied that their companies do not open windows all day on rainy days and/or winter. This shows that working conditions in regard with ventilation are are extremely unhealthy.

   In terms of specialized medical check-ups, 11 workers (27.5%) received yearly medical checks and 84 (20.8%) received medical check-ups every 6 months. So, a majority are found to receive no proper medical check-up.

   Even though only 37% said that they directly treat organic chemicals, they were found to have such common symptoms related to nerve break-down due to exposure exposures, such as as difficulty in concentration(62%) a symptom of chronic malfunction of poisoned nerve system, emotional instability (60.8%), and insomnia (35.4%). Also, they experience other nerve-related symptoms such as weariness (79.7%), anxiety (74.8%) without any reasons, and becoming easily tired (60.4%).

   Amongst married women who treat organic chemicals, 7.69% answered their sexual health is deteriorating and 50.77% replied that there is no change in their relationship, compared to before.

   Amongst the group who handles organic chemicals, 96 women workers (41.38%) experience changes in cycles and the amount of their menstruation. Also, those who have such changes account for 31.03% of the total participants. 15.52% have shortened menstruation cycles while 51.7% said their cycles have become longer. 12.93% answered that their cycles have become irregular since they started to treat organic chemicals, and 4.74% have much more irregular menstruations than before.

   Table 1. Changes in cycles and amounts of manstruation
   

   Changes in cycles and amounts of manstruations	No. of workers (%)
   No changes	84 (36.21)
   Changes	96 (41.38)
   No answer	52 (22.41)
   Total	232 (100.00)

   Since working at that workplaces, 58.9% have aching necks, arms and hands, 58.4% deteriorating eye sights, 45.5% headaches, 46.9% backaches, and 34.5% digestion problems. Also, 32.7% have swollen and/or aching legs, and 32.7% feel dizzy. 31.7% have anemia, 26.7% irregular manstruation, 17.3% insomnia, 13.2% nerve breaking-down, 8.6% piles, 8.4% low blood pressure, 13.0% irregular heart-beating, and 1.5% have difficulties in breathing.

2. Surveying trade unions

   Most participants in this survey work in large-scale companies: women working at firm with 50 employees consisted of 8.3%, between 50 and 300 16.6%, and over 300, 74.7%. The average number of workers are 498.4 (women workers constitute 47.4% in their workplaces). Methyl alcohol, toluene, and acetone are labelled as organic chemicals mostly used in their workplaces. Workers treat chemicals in 6 lines at most. Only one trade union (8.3%) has a department specializing in women workers' health and welfare, which means that structure for women workers' health and welfare are severely lacking.

   Table 2. Establishment of departments specializing in women workers' health and welfare in trade unions
   

   	No. of companies
   No	11 (91.7)
   Yes	1 (8.3)
   Total	12 (100.0)

   Only two trade unions (16.7%) have special occupational health and safety programs such as women's educationsal programs targeting women.

   Table 3. special occupational health and safety programs targeting for women
   

   	No. of companies
   No	10 (83.3)
   Yes	2 (16.7)
   Total	12 (100.0)

   Companies do not usually discuss introducing new chemicals with trade unions. Only two companies (16.7%) discuss occupational health issues with their unions.

   Table 4. Discussion between management and unions about new chemicals
   

   	Table 4. Discussion between management and unions about new chemicals
   No	10 (83.3)
   Yes	2 (16.7)
   Total	12 (100.0)

   Necessity for Long-term policies The research results indicate a close relationship between organic chemical use and women's health. Married women exposed to these chemicals have experienced several failures while pregnant. Additionally, changes in the amount and menstruation cycles were found amongst all participants who were exposed to these chemicals.

   However, it is very difficult to connect their health problems which occur very late, with occupational diseases, since women workers usually retire from their jobs early. Workers have to live in pain once they have occupational diseases. In particular, women's pain is particularly severe during maternity. So, prevention should be taken immediately .

   Practical legal measures for women workers are needed. No restrictions are set for women workers, although they are exposed to various hazardous chemicals affecting their maternity. Long-term preventative measures and policies based on specialized research on chemicals used in workplaces should be made.

Lee, Heh-soon (head of women's department of KCTU)

1. Structural adjustment for lay-offs

   Women workers of the KFSB were shouting their demands in the first rally for women's employment security and women's umemployment prevention

   Structural adjustment is now operating in full-swing in the workplace.. At Hyundai Motors the conflict between management and labor is one regarding laying-off workers or not. However, basic principles such as the attempt to avoid lay-offs and engage in sincere negotiations with trade unions are being distorted,. Thus, we doubt that the current restructuring plans will lead to reform.

   Until late July, 873 cases involving 1,610 workers were judged as being unfairly dismissed, amongst those reported to the labor committee or those sued in local labor offices. The figures are 4.5 times higher than those during the same period last year.

   If unfair labour practices such as failure to pay back wages are included, the figures total 55,216 cases which are two times higher than those last year (HanKyoReh Daily, 19 August, 1998). Under the pretext of structural adjustment companies are engaging in lay-offs and unfair labor practices. In this current situation, democracy in the workplace is being seriously attacked.

   'PARADISE,' a paradise of lay-offs

   Let's look at the case of the Paradise Beach Hotel to examine how lay-offs have affected workers. The Hotel laid off 320 workers (about 60%) out of the total workforce of 520 between February and March this year. Management simply waved off dismissed workers and then re-hired the same dismissed women householders.

   Protests by the Pusan Women's Association and active actions taken by the workers managed to stop the illegal dismissals, but their contracts will expire in February 1999. Conflicts over the dismissal of 100 workers still remains unsettled, so they are continuing their protests by setting up the dismissed workers' re-employment struggle committee.

2. Cutting women's jobs by shutting down female-dominated departments!

   By carefully looking at individual workplaces, we can see that women's jobs have been reduced by company restructuring plans that shut down female-dominated departments.

   Shutting down a female-dominated department at the Korean Federation of Small Businesses (KFSB)!

   The first incident occurred at the Korean Federation of Small Businesses (KFSB) whose trade unions are affiliated with KCTU. Last June 25, its detailed restructuring plan targeted women workers who composed of 20% amongst 80 workers (including 23 contractual workers whose contracts were expired).

   They closed the Dept. of General Affairs where many women workers are concentrated. This means that 91.8% of women out of the whole workforce of 61 women were targeted for lay-offs. Moreover, the company planned to re-employ some of them as contractual workers.

   The KFSB divides workers by tasks: general, specialised, clerical assistant, and technical. 99% women workers are ranked in the lowest division. The clerical assistant division, for example, is made up of 33 women and one man. Clerical assistants do work for the general division as well as manual and miscellaneous things.

   The company claimed that 'women are typists just serving coffees, and answering telephones.' Just because they are women, they have to work the lowest level jobs under harsh and discriminatory working conditions. Now they are also being unfairly dismissed.

   `The trade union protested the one-sided restructuring. They argued that no negotiation took place with the union nor did management attempt to avoid dismissals. Thus, they went on strike. On last 29 July, after a 40 day struggle, an agreement was eventually reached.

   In the process, the union agreed to close the clerical assistant division and all the women workers were retired. Currently, some of them are protesting against their status of being put on the waiting list.

   Korea Telecom cutting public services

   Korea Telecom has already started to charge customer for its free-call services, in spite of strong resistances from its trade union and NGOs. The trade union carried out struggles against the policy.

   Those who usually use the services are handicapped, soldiers, students studying away from home, and unemployed householders. In addition, it is not right to change its policy due to increasingg profitability, especially when many people have been negatively affected by a flood this past summer and it is a public corporatation. Since it is difficult to argue that restructuring has only affected women, I think the union's approach is more appropriate to handle the issue.

   In the jobs involved, an overwhelming majority of workers were married women workers (231 married women work amongst 239 workers). Initially, the company promised that they would reallocate tasks after a 6 week training period, but after negotiations with the union, the training duration was shortened to 4 weeks.

   However, since the education sites are in Kimhae and Najoo which is quite far from Seoul (and they have to stay in dormitories for the training) and all of their reallocated jobs cannot be located in Seoul, it is expected that all of these married women will not continue to work.

   Hence, the trade union should raise the issue of women's unstable employment, as a consequence of the wrong decision made by the company in their demands for reviving the free-call services.

   'Hyundai Auto' workers raged at the policy for subcontracting its canteens

   Last 24 August, the management and trade union agreed to with the government's suggestions that laying off the total number of 170 women workers working at its canteens should be minimized. For the last 10 years the trade union has stopped the company's attempts to subcontract the operation of its canteens.

   The working conditions of subcontracted canteens are very harsh. Their basic wages comprise only 50% of those of workers who are employed in canteens of the company. Laying off women workers working at the canteens means that the company will most likely subcontract canteen work. Further, the company will use this as an excuse for future lay-offs in industrial relations.

   These 170 women workers stood united until they obtained the victory. The trade union also kept to its basic principle that their employment should be maintained. In the finalized agreements the trade union shall run canteens for the following 5 years; the company shall provide compensation pay equivalent to 9 month-wages, continue paying their wages until the ownership is transferred; and the company shall put its efforts to employ workers and their spouses, who were already were retired by force.

3. Turning point between rises and falls of women workers' basic rights

   Restructuring adjustment in Korea has just started. By August the government's plan to finalize public restructuring and second financial sector restructuring will take place. Then, the government will carry out a series of plans in relation to restructuring adjustment: to decide conditionally approved banks and restructure five chaebols; to improve management styles in security companies; and to enact and amend laws and acts related to restructuring in the National Assembly.

   In this process, basic workers' rights and our livelihood are projected to be illegally threatened. Our family systems will be torn. Our future will be lost, if we cannot firmly stop illegal attempts by the capitalists and structural changes toward democracy in our society cannot be achieved. In addition, how strongly women workers' rights at this point can be defended will be a determinant of status of women workers in the future.

   We live in an era in which labor rights, a basic human right are largelybeing intimidated. We also live in a world in which endless competition and mass production is intensifying and the poor classes are expanding. How can we change the values and aims of this era? Can positive points of feminity actively contribute to changing his current economic turmoil?