A Happy
Sewing Machine Worker

- Park, Nam-hee, KWTU 2nd
Organizational Officer -

Park, Min-na ● Working Women,
editorial staff

Curiosity Due to A Strong
Confidence

Ugh! It is the year 2002. I used to say that I was afraid of time passing and
the turning of the calender sounds like thunder. I asked director, PARK
Nam-hee, who is in her forties, how she felt and she said ‘hmm...’I don't
wonder she has always been so steadfast like a rock.  

I can still feel the intensity of the struggles in the field where she spent
most of the twenties. Her clear voice makes her the best choice as a
moderator of rallies. I was curious about the distinctive confidence
emanating from director Park.

“Do I look confident (laughs)? The truth is,
the present situation of my union requires more abilities than I can give and
I have been reflecting on myself a great deal. The unions are really
important to women workers but for me, it is just a way of life. I try to do
my best. Working is just like playing. So I am happy everyday
(laughs).”

Difficult But A Happy Childhood

I thought that her confidence came from her positive character but she said
that it is because she most probably resembled her mother. She was the
youngest of five children. Her father was bedridden with a stroke for many
years. How to eat and live was entirely up to her mother. Her mother worked
at every job she could find but never showed any of her emotions from her
children. So, the young Nam-hee grew up carefree and happy.

“I remember we used to have more noodles made
from the flour given out by the local government office instead of rice. My
sisters who graduated from elementary school were all working in factories in
Seoul.
I was just happy playing with the kids in the neighborhood. I think I was too
young to know what poverty is.”

Even when fleeing from the debts which had been piling in the middle
of the night to Seoul where her sisters were working, she was happy because
the family, with the exception of the oldest sister who was married, was
together again and lived in a single room.

Feeling the burdens of living

Park Nam-hee was happy in her new school in Seoul but owing to her
mother's over-generosity to other people, she could not pay her school fees.

“I met a terrible teacher in the 5th Grade.
he used to sent me back home if I went to school without my school fees. But
where would the money come from? So I pretended I was going to school at home
but decided not to go to school. Mother found out and told me to go but I
decided not to
go, knowing full well the circumstances of the family. However, I met a good
teacher in the 6th Grade and graduated.”

She started feeling the burdens of life when she saw children of her
age in school uniforms. When she was 18, she started working in an underwear
factory.

“It was a two-storey building with living
quarters on the top floor and a factory in the basement. Other than a
40-minute lunch break, I worked and ate in the factory in the midst of the
dust and that was when I first felt the burdens of life. I wanted to get out
of the dire poverty I was in. I then made up  my mind that the only way
I could overcome my problem is through studying. I found out a night school
where I could study.”

However, the night school had been transformed from one focussing on
university entry to a labor-issue oriented night school after the May 18
Gwangju democratic movement. She thought she was really going to receive some
education this time but all she heard was about someone called Jeon Tae-il (a
worker who self-immolated
calling for the observance of the standard labor laws) and labor- issues. She
even protested as to why she was not being taught anything. She was 19 and
very eager to study.

“Once I made my teacher cry. I asked them to
live as a worker and work 12 hours a day before telling me about
labor-issues. I was over-excited and shouted and my teacher could not speak a
word but just cried. I hated my reality of working 12 hours a day and eating
cold lunches in the dusty workrooms. And I took it out on my poor
teacher.”

For the creation of a Livable World for People

Although she wanted more than anything to live better, she could not shut her
eyes and ears to the ugly and twisted world around her which oppressed
workers with such injustice. Park Chung-hee's dictatorial regime of 18 years'
had ended but the shadow of the military was still prevalent and illicit
surveillance was rampant in the workplace. Her night school teachers were
arrested by the
police and the school broke up into smaller groups.

“One day, we read some photocopied materials
about Jeon Tae-il and I think that was when I started changing a bit. I never
thought I would turn out like this (laughs). I read a lot, followed debates,
went to plays performed by other night schools, learnt about labor history
and philosophy.
I realized that I was changing completely.”

That was when she realized that a more livable world for people,
where workers can live humanely, must be created. In 1983, the Guro
Industrial Complex was the center of the labor movements. It had a long
history and was continuously fostering the growth of future labor activists.


As soon as  she realized what and why she had to fight for, Park Nam-hee
entered a clothing factory as a sewer in the Guro area.

“I suffered at first because  my hands
were too slow. But my weapon was my persistence (laughs). I worked hard no
matter what and soon received recognition for my diligence. I met some really
good people. We formed groups and later joined a guitar class at the
Youngdeung-po Industrial Mission Church. I also formed a reading group as
well as a eating group. Oh, it. seems like we only played, didn't we
(laughs)?”

Of
course, it was not all play. It was how people otherwise alone in this world,
came to depend on each other in friendship and trust. Then, things started
happening.

Struggle Against Dismissal For Over A Year

On March 10, 1985, one of her co-workers who had been a college student was
dismissed from work when the management found them coming out of a labor
rally.

A rally protesting the dismissal was held on April 26 in the company
cafeteria and 11 more were dismissed and a year struggle for reinstatement
started.

“I don't know why I went around getting
beaten in those days (laughs). The reinstatement struggle meant getting
beaten every morning. We were locked up in the General Affairs office and hit
over the heads, ankles twisted, spat on and other things I can't speak of.
About 4 or 5 dismissed men workers would be forcibly taken away in vans and
thrown away in far remote places. We had to receive hospital treatment for
head injuries at one time. Our parents were threatened by saying that we were
Communists. My mother flatly refused to believe what they were telling her
and told them off. They never bothered her again.”

Blacklisted & Continuing Dismissals

Park Nam-hee was one of the victims blacklisted in the mid-1980s. After 3
months of work in a factory, evidence was found that Park had been dismissed
before and she was pressured to resign from her work and was severely beaten.
She felt that she was unfairly treated and protested against her dismissal
every morning.
In the end, she felt that it was unnecessary to struggle every morning and
left her job.

“I got three more jobs but was dismissed soon
after. I realized that I could no longer work in the Guro Industrial Complex
and moved to Doksan-dong. It was different there. While we were struggling in
Guro, workers in Doksan-dong worked. So if the Guro Industrial Complex needed
more organizational strength, it must succeed in organizing other nearby
industrial areas.”

Burying First Love In My Heart

While she was working in a clothing factory in Doksan-dong, Park Nam-hee had
organized a hiking club with some men workers from a machinery factory. One
day in 1987, she was arrested along with other workers in a rally. All were
released soon after and because of an appointment,,she had gone straight from
the police station to a friend's house.

“I went to my friend's house but found
another person there. I was happy to see him  smiling brightly at me. He
was a former teacher of mine in night study and was a good person, liked by
everyone. I always thought I would like a single life as a labor activist but
during our three years' relationship, I thought of marriage at times
(laughs). We went our separate ways but memories of the first love remains. I
experienced the pain of separation, so it was good for me after all!
(laughs)”

I
suppose memories of first love were good because her expression changed and I
saw hints of lovely memories hidden in her heart.

Valuable Friends

In 1988, ‘Makers of Clothing’was formed and a cultural event was held once
annually. Members were all graduates of the sewing room of Martyr Park
Yong-Jin Memorial Project who had gathered together after a clothing
exhibition and continued to hold events.

“About 15 of us gathered in 1991 and formed
the Southern Regional Promotion Committee of the Cheonggye Clothing Labor
Union. We felt that ‘Makers of Clothing’was a more popular name and carried
out more activities under that name. I was working in a clothing factory but
left to take position
as the head of the Committee for three years. I gave my mother whatever money
I had in my possession and informed her that I would be able to give her
anymore money. We received no outside aid and managed to cover all costs
through membership fees. We were happy because we knew how to help each
other. It was a difficult
time but was also very worthwhile.”

However, in 1991, she was hit by a tear gas canister and had to
received hospital treatment for burns for 18 days. The scars on her chest and
both arms still remind her of that day. Members of `Makers of Clothing’were
there to serve her every need and even her own family members were impressed
by the loyalty of her colleagues.
However, the high medical fees became a problem.

“I wanted to leave the hospital but all
Committee members were away and there was no one who could help me with the
hospital fees. It was really troubling. Finally, members of‘Makers of
Clothing’came up with some money and the rest I borrowed from my sister. For
the first time in my
life I wondered if that was the right way to live. Similar things might
happen again and I realized that I had to fend for myself. It was useless to
do other things when I could not even look after myself."

Identity As a Woman, Working with women workers
movement

She had never realized herself as a woman until she started working at the
women workers movement. She was entering her thirties and many of her friends
were settling down and she felt a need for change. She realized that she
needed to see herself as a woman. Otherwise  remaining only as a worker
without future prospects would be difficult. She knew then the importance of
the role of the KWWAU and became a member, In 1996, she was offered a
full-time job and worked as vice-director of organizational activities for
over  a year.

Park Nam-hee felt that she had been living a narrow life and once again, she
felt that her solution would be through academic studies. She later passed
the entrance qualification examinations for both high school and the
university. In 1997, she wanted to continue her studies more and left the
Seoul Women Workers Association.

Philippines, Park Nam-hee
(second from right) (June 10, 2000)

“I was looking around for private tutoring
institutions when I heard the news that my brother was suffering from brain
cancer. I had never been close to my brother but then I realized what a
difficult life he had led as the only son in the family. All the
responsibilities laid on his shoulders. I think that was the first time I
became a filial daughter to my
mother. I looked after my brother alone and did all his bidding until he died
elevens months later. My mother was devastated but I was sad, too. I wondered
why I should live and why I should study. In the midst of all this,
chairperson Rhie Chol Soon, offered me the opportunity of studying in the
Philippines. I spent 2 years and 8 months abroad.”

Overseas Study in the Philippines, then to the
KWTU

In March 1998, Park Nam-hee started in an English language program and went
on to finish her studies in social science with funding received from the
KWWAU as part of funds supporting Third World countries. Her English ability
unstable from the beginning did not become perfect but she adapted well to
the life in the Philippines and gave her new energy.

She returned on January 21 2001 and started working as the director of
organizations second division of the KWTU. I wondered how she had spent her
first year in her position.

“There were many difficulties. I realize it
was the time to work so I didn't have any worries. I was happy to work. It
was difficult to understand the IMF crisis as I was not in the country. There
was an increase in irregular work and there has been many changes. I was
really happy working. It was so worthwhile working with union members and
branch unions especially with the formation of the 88 Country Club Branch
Union and subsequent victory during collective bargaining. The only thing
remaining is how many members would participate in union activities. It was
good to see union members changing. I realize how important the role of
women's unions and I am happy to be part
of it. I want to do my best in all that I do.”

Hotline for Equality in 2001- increase in unemployment counseling by irregular workers & maternity protection -

Pro-Women Proposals for the Empowerment of Women Workers

Lee, Ju-hwan ● Secretary-General, Korean Women's Trade Union

1. Research Background

As of July 2001, 49.6% of women are involved in some form of economic activity, this being 41.4% of the total population who undertake some of economic activity and 41.7% is the rate of women in the total work force.*
However, even though the number of women in the workforce is big, women are still being marginalized and pressured into irregular work.
Although the importance of organizing women workers has been stressed, there has been no progress in the debate for finding methods for organizing. Accordingly, the development of organizational methods, culture and environment for organizing irregular women workers must be brought forward.

2. General Characteristics of Women Workers in the Process of Organization

To organize women workers, the reality of the women's lives, their social experience, interests, values, attitudes towards their lives, their required roles and other general characteristics of women must be taken into consideration and how these characteristics be reflected during the organization of these women.
Some notable general characteristics of women workers in the research can be summarized as follows:

□ Importance of relationships.
“We all talked about how we had lived our lives and this was not easy. We have our pride and we don't want to look bad. We sat round talking about our lives and after you listen to other people talk, you change your mind. I was not the only one having a difficult time. So after just one meeting, we all became very good friends (Kwon Soon-hee).”
As the work delegated to women were poorly paid with little chances of promotions and considered miniscule, women concentrated more on social relationships in the workplace rather than trying to increase knowledge or skills needed for work promotions. According to organizers at Harvard university, most women build relationships and consider maintaining such relationships with importance and use these relationships as a strategy. This led to the successful building of a strong union in the university where almost all clerical workers were female.

□ Difference in Resolving Tensions and Strife - Importance in maintaining relationships
At the advent of tension or strife within an organization, men leaders will try to suppress such tension while women leaders will try to compromise, in favor of all the parties involved. So in terms of tension or strife, women do not stress the principles and regulations only but prefer to find ways to maintain relationships and select ways beneficial to everyone. Such characteristics of women appear as flexible methods of struggle.  

Debate on the Women-Friendly Organizational Methods (Aug. 29. 2001)

□ Working Women, Mother, Wife, Daughter - Multiple identities
“Women are interested in union activities, rallies, events, etc but what they are really interested in is things like‘she just had a baby.’Knowing more concrete details about union members means more sharing. (Kim Mi-sook).”
Men have the tendency to identify themselves with their work but women tend to accept not only their role as workers but also other diverse roles as mothers, wives, daughters, etc. So to organize women, the reality of women and their lifestyles must be reflected and methods use to break down barriers between the private and the public spheres in their lives.

□ Preference of close relationships
“I first thought of the union as a place which resolves labor relations and to go to if I face problems. But now, it is a place where I can go and exchange opinions about problems in the workplace as well as in the society. (Kim Mi-sook).”
Generally, women show the tendency of preferring informal and close relationships. Women have been socialized from a young age in small groups and feel more comfortable about sharing their stories in such an environment. So it is important in the process of organizing women workers, to create an environment where women can make their voices heard on every day matters.

□ Difference in Leadership - Organizing from the Center
“In reality, there is an organizational structure but everything is decided through discussions. It's not like as if there are different people for making decisions and different people for carrying them out. I realized what working together is through our discussions. I realized that I was an important part of the union (Kim Mi-sook).”
According to a research by Sally Helgesen in 1990, women lead not from the top but from the center. That is, the leader remains at the center linking different teams together. Hierarchy is not important but connections are. So in the case of women, emphasizing such points would be significant. Furthermore, women who shy away from leadership roles must be trained to carry out bigger roles of leadership representation.

□ Organization needed for building self-esteem and influence
“I think it was at last March 8 Women's Day rally. I made the pickets and brought them to the rally. Everyone praised me for the pickets, wondering how I could have made them on my own. Everyone said something nice and it really help me boost my self-esteem on hearing those comments. Now I really like doing things (Moon Gyong-sook).”
People who have been organizing women have discovered that women with lower social status and little influence often suffer from hopelessness and a low self-esteem. It is important that such hopelessness and low self-esteem be overcome.  So it is important for women, blacks, homosexuals, and native peoples to build up their inner strength to be organized and to make their voices heard. A positive self-esteem and self confidence must be developed. This inner strength will not remain within but will help other people through social interactions and expand into social and political actions. So, the strategy for increasing self-esteem and developing abilities to foster the growth of group influence is an important step in the organization of women.

3. Characteristics of the Activities of the KWTU

The KWTU encompasses many of the general characteristics of women outlined in the above. Such characteristics can be noticed in the review of the two-year activities of the KWTU in efforts to maximize the organization of women.
Due to unemployment instability and the status of workers due to frequent job transfers, individual union members find it difficult to become a continuing part of groups according to occupation, issues or branches. So the structure and contents of meetings or groups must become flexible to meet such circumstances and diverse programs and events like‘Union Member's Day' , ‘Union Member's Camp’, ‘campaigns’, `outings’, `sports meets’, etc, must be held to enhance member participation.
On operational matters, work is divided among members. It is important to support and make members realize that the roles they are undertaking are important. For example at the members' camp prepared by the Steering Committee of the Incheon branch, all preparations such as recreation, food preparation, car rentals, post-party cleaning up were equally divided among members. And at the 2001 general meeting, prizes were given to members. Prizes were given out not in the order of position but for active members who had contributed their time and effort to the union, for example, the prize for increasing union members, prize for best decorating efforts, prize for best cooking, prize for volunteering, prize for being together, etc, giving recognition and encouragement for different roles played.
It has been pointed out that multiple identities and a lack of self-esteem are some of the characteristics of women.
The KWTU has carried out the following three strategies to overcome such problems.
First, self-discovery and open programs are underway. The `Basic Small Group Program' consists of 4 lectures and is a training program of self-discovery and openness. This program helps to smoothen awkwardness and to enhance understanding among new union members.
Second, the sharing of everyday life which is formally undertaken in all small groups and branch steering committees. Such sharing opens up the daily lives of the members and formalizes any problems. So it is not `separate lives, separate workplace stories, or separate stories of childraising’in the unions but a common place for sharing personal stories and receiving encouragement and support.
Third, the operation of family-conscious programs. One of the best projects of the KWTU is the program which integrates the participation of children. In the case of educational programs which require the attendance of all the union members, caregivers is invited to look after the children. In the case of participation in sleep-over programs, a union officer will provide housing and volunteers will look after the children.
Such programs help union members to lessen their burdens of childcare and enhance participation in union activities and deepen concentration of the participants.

4. Issues

In the process of organizing women workers, women specific characteristics must be recognized and women-friendly policies, organizational methods and culture must be systematized and expanded.
To increase the organizational rate of women workers, unions and national-level umbrella unions are actively pursuing a quota system for women in the de챠sion-making processes. However. it is only the National Teachers' Union and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions which have adopted a women's quota system as its official policy. According to Ms Jung, Yong-sook, of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions it would not be easy to achieve such a quota system in a short time as it meant that certain privileges held by full-time workers must be given up and also that it was difficult to organize irregular women workers.
However, the reality is that organizing women workers cannot be put off any longer. The organizing of irregular workers is considered in the labor movements as an issue that must be addressed immediately. Actions must be undertaken to link realistic alternatives to organizing. As noted in the above, women-friendly organizational policies and culture are not only applicable to women workers but to all levels. However, this research has been based only on the cases studies of the KWTU and the application of such policies might be adequate and so individual organization must come up with policies and methods specific to their organizations.

* According to the data on employment trends from the Department of Statistics in July 2001, of the total population in economic activity was 22,520,000 persons, 9,328,000 persons were women (4.4%) and 13,192,000 (58.6%) persons were men. Of the 21,760,000 people employed, 9,076,000 persons (41.7%) were women and 12,684,000 persons (58.3%) were men.

The Action Center for Women's Unemployment

Evaluation of Three Years' of the Action Center

Park, Jin-young  KWWAU, Research Officer

In 2001, the Action Center for Women Unemployment has widened its scope of work base on its successes for the past years. KWWAU branches in seven districts have been designated as self-supporting organizations. This paper evaluates the projects and results of the Action Center. And also to bring forth measures for new projects.

1. Background for the Establishment of the Action Center

The advent of the economic crisis in late 1997 has led Korean women to face severe unemployment. Women were affected by compulsory and priority contract dismissals and were forced to transfer to contract work. However, the public view of unemployment was that it was predominantly a male-centered problem and the outdated discriminatory ideology of "women return to your homes" raised its ugly head, rationalizing priority dismissals of women workers. Gender equality achieved by women workers were at the risk of collapsing. Women householders were particularly affected. It was almost impossible for dismissed women workers to find new jobs. Women's unemployment did not become a social issue and the government released no measures to counter the problem.
The Action Center for Women's Unemployment was set up on June 9, 1998 with the aim of making women's unemployment a social issue and to carry out campaigns to pressure the government to set up measures to overcome the problem.

2. Contents of Activities

1) Supporting Programs for Unemployed Women
Programs such as counseling to introduce jobs, "a recruiting day for unemployed women" and educational programs for re-employment, skills training, life and medical support, sideline work rooms, dispatching tutors for children during after-school hours were undertaken to create jobs.
The counseling programs were highly thought of by the women workers for the kind manner of the counselors, comprehensive information available, and comfortable surroundings and could be distinguished from other public organizations for the comprehensive information available to the unemployed women. Also realistic support was given to the women workers other than job counseling in the form of public works, job training, accepting applications for temporary life support and women householders together with information on government policies. Psychological counseling on family and every day life matters was also undertaken. Such programs led to more concrete job-seeking projects in 1999. A monthly campaign was held by the Seoul branch of the KWWAU. Leaflets were handed out in places where there were many enterprises with the contact numbers of the Action Center.
Other activities include providing information on the types of public works available and ways of application, introducing medical support programs and application for life support, recent employment trends, job-designing, interview points and other information needed for re-employment. Unlike the every day counseling sessions, the recruiting day acted as an educational sphere for unemployed women and place for women to exchange and share information reducing the sense of hopelessness and adaptation abilities. On the recruiting day, women received information on job awareness, learn how to conduct themselves in practice make-believe interviews, get introduced to jobs suitable for women, how to study for certificates of qualifications, job aptitude tests, etc.
Skills training cannot become the foremost measure to overcome unemployment but it has done much to lesses the pain of dismissal and give hope to women in searching for new methods of employment. Furthermore, skills training does provide better opportunities for reinstatement and thus, will be continued in the future.
Most women face difficulties when they are laid off. Life support was given to these women in the form of rice and coal and has continued from 2000 to prevent women from suffering without rice and heat in the severe winter. Also medical aid was provided by linking up medical NGOs with unemployed women and children of unemployed women under the age of 10 were given 30 to 50% discounts in medical payments.
The Center also concentrated on providing jobs for unemployed women by operating sideline work rooms and dispatching teachers to help with children of low-income families in daycare centers. regular meetings were held with the management of the daycare centers to enabled the smooth operation of the project as well as monthly meetings of dispatched teachers, education of teacher assistants, situational surveys, etc. In 1999 and 2000, regional projects became more active to increase job opportunities. These projects gathered strength because they were designated by the government for the dispatch of workers to public works undertaken by the government and because they received governmental support for their self-support projects.

2) Policy Campaigns, Research & Policy Recommendations
Diverse activities have been carried out to increase publicity on the reality of women workers. The Action Center took on the purpose of publicizing hidden unemployment which did not appear on government statistics on unemployment. The monitoring of public employment agencies was undertaken and public debates were held in three districts on the matter concerned, The Seoul, North Cholla and Incheon districts of the KWWAU undertook the publication of the situational study of women householders and unemployed women and helped increased public understanding on the issue involved., Research on long term programs to overcome women unemployment was completed  with emphasis on self-support programs and the results of the research were publicized. Three public debates were held in 1999 and 2000 on women's unemployment. A discussion in conjunction with the first anniversary of the establishment of the Action Center on the evaluation and policy proposals of women unemployment was also organized as well as discussion on the measures to overcome unemployment faced by middle-aged women. Further discussions on the situational study of preparations undertaken by women university graduates to overcome unemployment and measures to overcome gender discrimination in the process of job seeking.
Public debates were also held to make the voices of unemployed women workers heard with the attendance of representatives from the government, political parties, academia, and citizens' groups, publicizing the reality of women unemployment and demanding policy implementation. There were also continuous campaigns and actions for policy recommendations. Starting from July 9, a total of five campaigns were undertaken once a month demanding government policy measures with the two major labor unions and a university coalition to achieve women worker rights. Also undertook campaigns for policy implementation on women's unemployment and a more realistic execution of the National Livelihood Act.
 
3) Organizational Activities
Mutual aid organizations are the most important for unemployed women. First started by the KWWAU Incheon branch, they quickly spread to the other regions. Anyone wishing to become a member can join and members aid each other and encourage each other to step up measures for employment. The principle of the mutual aid organizations is "to help other women just as they have helped me." Members are operating a  unemployed women group, a public works monitoring group, groups according to occupations, etc.
Based on such activities, organizational projects were boosted in 1999 and 2000. Group counseling and other educational programs were fostered. The purpose of these educational programs lied in the efforts to create a model for other educational programs for unemployed women. As of May 2000, there are mutual aid organizations for middle-aged women in 8 districts throughout the country.
Monthly meetings are held by mutual aid organizations and a newsletter is published. members also participate in campaigns such as signature-drives for demanding unemployment measures, job-creation and budget for public works; and also in debates concerning women unemployment, etc, to make their voices heard on related matters.

3. Results of the Action Center

1) Support programs for unemployed women
Helped lessened the pain of unemployment through job counseling, technical training, providing job information, life & medical support and many women benefitted directly or indirectly from the programs.

At the national rally calling for 'the implementation of unemployment measures

for long-term unemployed workers and opposition to the reduction of public works' (June 17, 2000)

2) Organizing Unemployed Women
The greatest result achieved by the Action Center lies in the organizing of unemployed women and reflecting their voices on society.

3) Making Women's Unemployment a Social Issue
Undertaking situational studies through counseling, writing up reports and holding public debates, publicity campaigns through rallies and demonstrations. Helped change public opinion which only emphasized the pain of men's unemployment.

4) Policy Reflection
Many of the measures put forth by the Action Center were reflected in government policy such as the introduction of the special measures for unemployed women householders, extension of work for women in public projects, government research on  women-friendly public works, execution of the National Basic Livelihood Plan and guaranteeing minimum livelihood, etc.

4. For A New Start

Based on the results of the activities in 2001, the Action Center has currently been designated to carry out self-support projects in 7 different regions (Seoul, Ansan, Bucheon, Incheon, Machang, Gwangju, Busan). Through such projects, the Action Center will be able to carry out more active projects to aid poor women. The projects are expected to create a self-reliance model for women. Such high expectations were due to  the various educational programs, operation of work rooms and communities.

Urgent Measures Needed To Adjust Minimum Wages To
A Realistic Level

                             
                             PARK, Jin-young   Research Officer, KWWAU

1. Introduction

In the labor market, women workers currently constitute as sideline, irregular workers. According to governmental statistics (as of April 2001), women workers form 68.1% of temporary, day-work. One of the most serious consequences due to the increase in irregular work, is the increase in poverty.
As a result, the KWWAU and the KWTU carried out a study on the wage and working conditions of irregular

workers. Among the irregular women
workers, the study emphasized the conditions of middle-aged women working in restaurants or contracted as janitors as these women form the majority who faced severe employment instability and low wages. The study revealed the seriousness of the wage conditions of these women. The minimum wage condition must be considered as a policy issue to be reformed within the existing legal system and brought to a realistic level.

2. The Working & Living Conditions of Contracted Women Workers

The study was undertaken in April 2001 for a month in eight regions and in ten cities by examiners who filled out questionnaires in face-to-face interviews with women workers. The study was undertaken with two directions in mind. First, the study on the working conditions in contract agencies was undertaken on women who had longer first-hand working experience in the relevant worksites. The study covered 117 case studies of working conditions in 101 employee (worksites) and 101 employer enterprises (contract agencies). Out of the interviewees, 40.2% worked in universities, 16.2% in governmental and public agencies,  14.5% in corporations and 11.1% in private hospitals.
Second, on the aspect regarding living conditions and reforms needed, the study on the  living conditions of contracted workers in their respective contracted worksites was undertaken. The study included more worksites other than those mentioned above and totaled 528 women in 107 worksites and 107 contract agencies. Women workers in their 50s took up 42.1% and comprised the highest number. The next were in their 40s and 60s taking up 26.3% and 25.1% respectively. Research on educational levels showed that 12.3% had no education, 46.4% had received elementary education and 28.1% with middle-school education meaning that 86.7% had received education lower than middle-school levels. On the length of working years, the average was 34.3 months and average period of experience was 45.3 months showing clearly that even though these women were irregular workers with one-year contracts, the contracts were continuously renewed.

■ Wage and Living ConditionsThe study pointed out that the most serious problem faced by women workers was the problem of low wages. As such, this article was written with the purpose of concentrating on the problem of low wages and the working and living conditions of these women.

"Help people like us to receive some treatment too"- a situational survey of contract agency women workers
at a university hospital -

Waving the Flag Regardless
of Time and Place
    The Story of Jeong, Moon-ja(vice-chair, KWWAU Incheon Branch, director of the Bupyong Self-help Supporting Agency)

Self-support Activity Center Creates Hope

- discussion by coordinators of self

-support activity center -

Bae, Jin-Kyung   KWWAU Head of Public Relations

Moderator : Thank you for coming. It's really nice to see everyone in one place. Perhaps we can start off with a short briefing on the situation of self-support activity center in your respective areas.
Hong : In the case of Seoul, we were designated as a self-support activity center by the Guro local office in March 2001. We operate a common workshop for women and 15 women are participating in making stickers and completing pieces of sewing work. We have operated a sewing room since 1998 with the onset of the IMF crisis. First-class sewers came together to form this sewing room when they lost their jobs during the economic crisis. At the moment, 10 workers are fully employed most of the time and  monthly profits are high. There are low seasons but they have overcome them very well. We are entering our third year as a community and as a designated supporting center, we intend to turn the sewing workshop into a self-help community.
Jeong : Incheon started off with a sewing union set up under the Incheon KWWAU in 1996 and based on this, we were designated as a self-support activity center in August 2000. Free private nursing which started in July 2000 as commissioned by Incheon city, has become the basis for a profit-making private nursing community. There are 5 people in the lunchbox community, 10 participated in cutting the odds and ends of clothing. Of the 10, 3 are beneficiaries and 7 members of the local neighborhood. The profit-making private nursing community has sent 2 persons as leased workers and 10 people are receiving education. As part of the self-help projects, 15 participate in free housing repairs and 15 work as free private nurses. Free housing repair work and free private nursing work will be continued in the future as communities.
Kim : Bucheon has 35 women (who have received training in 1999 under the women householders' comprehensive training program and who have formed a collective called Durea, working as household helpers, mother's helpers (helping new mothers to take care of themselves and help with the baby) and private nurses. This was the basis for the start of the self-support activity center. We were designated as a supporting center in August  2000 and conditional beneficiaries were entrusted to us since last December. Last year, we emphasized group dynamics and education and projects were activated only this February. The welfare private nursing project was accepted as self-support activity work and upgraded in April with 44 people participating. 17 work as private nurses and 10 in community food projects. 7 are in the sewing project but as there is no space available yet for a common workshop, sewing work is just undertaken as sideline job. Straw craft work is being considered as a new project to be undertaken.
Jo : Ansan has created a Hansarang lunchbox community of women householders in 1999. Five women and the KWWAU invested a million won each, creating the third floor of the KWWAU into the facility required. However, as all the participants were women householders, it was difficult for them to start work early and all left the community. At the moment the project has been designated as a public self-support activity center and we provide support for other similar communities. There is room for 20 and 16 people are participating in the activity. In June 2000, a sewing community was started but owing to low needlework skill, most of our clients who were clothing exporters left us and we did not have enough work to meet the minimum wages. In addition, there was a strong tendency of the women to depend heavily on the KWWAU. At the present, the thread and needlework as part of the self-help project has been changed to a clothing completion project with 20 people participating. Partially-made clothing is brought from a sewing factory and completed. In July 2000, a comprehensive training program was undertaken and volunteers and self-help workers decided to open a common business, receiving more education and operating a community.
Jeong : Self-support activity center are at a disadvantage in the market economy. We are small, poorly skilled and yet have to create a profit. So as a long term prospect, we have decided to provide free meals to the elderly living alone and to young children who have to miss their meals. We are taking these activities as public projects and intend to ask the local government office to help us protect our market. It was a mistake for us to enter the lunchbox market so aggressively in the beginning. We did not have enough skill or money to compete with the existing businesses. Two thousand won is provided for children who have to miss their meals and as the childcare and after-school centers did not have enough people to cook for them, we were asked instead. Participating in such public projects (packing 100 lunch boxes per day) created enough profit to pay 4 to 5 women. We are not management experts but we needed to create a profit and so we had to change our project direction according to our skill and situation. I think this was the most difficult part in self-support activity center.

Moderator : How is the project progressing?
Jung : I think the lunchbox project and private nursing project is suitable for middle-aged women. When I was working at the Action Center for women's unemployment, I realized that there was no suitable work for these women. So we have created work for them. Another thing connected with self-support activity center was that we have provided welfare services to low-income families through the free housing repair project and free private nursing project. One side gets to work and the other side gets benefited from such projects. The free private nurses project has been well-received as the sick are left alone and have no one to care for them. Our people were proud that they were protecting the lives of the sick. Our free housing repairers were also proud that they were improving the living conditions in downtrodden mud huts. Third, we have rented the common room in the old people's home as a workshop for sideline work. Three people are beneficiaries of the program and  seven from the neighborhood. We realize now that self-help projects are also projects for the local residents. The workshop is not just an ordinary workshop but has become a meeting place for local residents. Residents with low income would drop by to get some work or just for a chat. One of our dreams is to play the role of a local meeting place and provide counseling and education as well as cultural activities in the workshop.
Hong : We have just started in Seoul and it is too early to predict results of the projects carried out. However, we could see changes in the attitude of the participants who are attempting to do something on their own without relying on government support. It is not easy for people to change but we were happy to see attitude changes sprouting. The programs can only be evaluated after a certain time period.
Kim : We have not much to show as results. Our women had worked at many jobs before taking the job as private nurses and are learning the skills and realizing that private nursing could be their lifeline in future. We also realize that other self-support activity center are finding their direction and becoming stable as time went by. On the local level, regulations have been set up last month for self-support activity and self-support funding within the Bucheon regional alliance. The regulations have been legally implemented. This is a big step in activating self-support activity center.
Jo : I don't think there is much difference in Bucheon, Seoul or Incheon and so I expect that the results are similar. We intend to open a cooperative office for 7 women who are working as mother's helpers and household helpers. Many started out in the project because basic living wages were provided but now women have regained their confidence while working and are not afraid to go out and work any longer. This is a big step for the women and toward the success of our project.

Moderator : What are the characteristics of self-support participants and the difficulties faced by them?
Jo : For self-support participants, wages and living expenses are both provided and 1/3 of participants say self-support activity center wages and the pleasure of working are more valuable to them. Another 1/3 say that self-support activity  are easier than steady jobs and so wished to participate in self-support activity center. The other 1/3 comprised of conditional beneficiaries who were forced to participate in self-support activity center to get their living expenses because if they do not participate, their wages would be reduced or cut off completely. The motives of the participants are different and the formation of a self-autonomous community takes time and effort. As such, continuous education and discussions are needed.
Jeong : The women workers were different from the women I met at the Action Center. They were all financially very badly off and in very poor health. I was worried how much these women could achieve in self-support programs. I wondered if our organization has been chosen for self-support activity and designated as a supporting agency for the purpose of overcoming such difficulties. Also, we accept both men and women beneficiaries. During counseling, women are more firm in their purposes to participate in self-support activity center. Women who are often sick and financially badly off would never give up and would just go for any kind of work available. So, we came to the conclusion that there would be possibilities if we concentrate on the women's sector and to gain expertise in certain fields.
Hong : There was a strong sense of futility and victimization among the women. It was emotionally difficult for them to meet people and there was no outside support services other than the basic wages given out. As time passed, the objectives of women's self-support programs became clear to us. Most of the women who came to work have a high sense of responsibility toward their families but their occupational outlook and occupational awareness were lower. It is difficult for us to fulfill such obligations but project participation would be an opportunity for them to become financially independent and help them contribute to society.
Kim : The women who participated in training programs for women householders are sicker than the women who came from the Action Center in our region and have little or no purposes for self-help. It is difficult as they come with no personal hopes but only the desire to remain within the self-support programs. The coordinators had no idea that these programs would grow into independent cooperatives in the beginning. Now we know that self-support programs could advance into independent cooperatives after six months. We must work to achieve this purpose.

Moderator : What kind of changes took place after participation in self-help projects?
Jeong : One of the characteristics was a strong sense of victimization and the tendency to remain indoors but continuous counseling and work participation has brought the women out. They look brighter and happier with the enjoyment of labor. Self-support programs help people to change. Women became healthier and brighter in expression. Additionally, with the passing of the difficult phase, women are turning their attention to other people. Self-support activity center provide more emotional benefits rather than economic benefits.  With emotional stability, women can go forward. This does not seem to happen automatically but through the endless efforts of our coordinators. We believed that they would change and the women lived up to our expectations. We are happy to see the women living with confidence.
Kim : I think it is a really big thing that the women have gained confidence. Working as welfare nurses provide a great deal of satisfaction to our women. They have only thought of themselves with difficulties but when they saw people who cannot move and lying alone, they became more emotionally stable. There was a woman who was very ill and could only work for three days as a private nurse. She was facing great financial difficulties due to bankruptcy and has lost all financial credibility. However, when the person who she was looking after became hospitalized, she put off everything to look after the person in the hospital even on her non-working days.
Jo : It is the same in Ansan. The women were getting plump, gaining 2 to 3 kgs. They all look brighter as they can see their future with hope. Most women work with enjoyment and it is a pleasure to see them change. Their financial situations are becoming better. They have gained confidence and firmer in purpose. They all looked better now.

Moderator: What are the personal changes which took place after coordinating self-support programs?
Jeong : I learn not to give up on people. Before, I would be angered at some wrong behavior and would contemplate whether to end our relationship or believe in the person but I have learn not to make up my mind so quickly. I learn to believe in the potential of people. It was not easy for me to decide and I thought a great deal about the matter. Working with such people was the most difficult.
Kim : Self-help programs allow you to meet people face-to-face. They make you think about people more in depth as self-support programs require much interpersonal relationships. We have to know about personal difficulties, desires and future hopes to build up an effective program.
Jo : You don't let people just pass you by. You look at them with more depth.
Hong : Not a big change but I learn to manage myself very well. We are open to other people and we spend time with them the whole day unlike the Action Center. Being closed up together in small quarters can flare tempers and depress my feelings.  I have learn to control myself in such situations as I could not release my anger on the women.

Moderator: What are the advantages of women-oriented self-helpprograms?
Jeong : It was easier for KWWAU to undertake women-oriented self-support programs as we provide comprehensive counseling. The Hotline for Equality provide legal counseling, the KWTU organizational support and the Action Center abundant experience on how to settle issues. We have long experience in providing women beneficiaries with emotional support through group counseling and education. We also think women-oriented programs are needed after working with both men and women in self-support programs. We found that we were only carrying out general projects and could not concentrate on women workers. Women have their own special characteristics, you know.
Kim : This is informal but we are only accepting women participants in self-support programs. Women enjoy being with other women. Women receive too much stress in their homes and there are some women in the program who avoid men. So women gather together and open themselves to each other.
Jo : Women are more resourceful than the men. It is good that such instinctive resourcefulness is continued in self-help programs. Women are comfortable in groups of threes and fives. It is possible to lead such groups into the formation of a  cooperative in future. That is how I see it.
Hong : In reality, the working experiences of the women are all different. I believe it is the duty of the KWWAU to provide solutions for women workers facing difficulties in employment because they have been cut off from the labor market due to childcare or housework. It is not easy to have this kind of perspective in self-support programs attended by both men and women. So we have the responsibility for setting up a model of women-oriented self-support programs. A different approach is needed for women workers. A comprehensive or emotional approach is needed. That would make the advantages of women-oriented self-support programs clearer and influence the results of the programs.

Moderator : What are your future plans and goals?
Hong : We have plans to increase our sewing room members to 40. We are also thinking about a workhand lease system. We would most probably start by offering free services but eventually would grow into a profit-making cooperative. We also plan to start a women's workshop for sideline work and are thinking about the possible items. We are just about to start and welcome any ideas and suggestions from other people with the same experience.
Jo : We have already carried out self-support programs and are about to start our supporting activities but I don't think there would be much difference in the type of work carried out. We only have to develop more projects and to progress into the  formation of a cooperative. We need to experiment with different types of self-support programs and to create a model in linking welfare and labor.
Kim : We also need to stabilize the projects undertaken and to develop more appropriate projects and also new projects to target fringe markets. We have to find ways to progress into cooperatives and how to set up a model for women-oriented self-support programs. Last year, we concentrated more on structure-building and since the emphasis was on self-support, we must try to achieve some results connected  with self-support programs in the later half of the year.
Jeong : We have more than 50 people participating and hope that they will all become independent within the year. The methods could be through cooperatives or opening businesses. We are trying to set up a program to self-support activity center about 100 people. And also to carry out research and education programs for both the coordinators and participants on the philosophy and future prospects of self-support programs. Since the framework has been established, long term prospects must be set up. We feel more responsibility because we are carrying out the work in the name of the KWWAU.