Skyrocketing commodity prices and decreasing welfare budgets make us sad!!

On September 30, 2009, right around the corner of the Choosuk holiday, Women’s Action for Decent Lives and Jobs (WADLJ) held 'a women's press conference to demand to increase welfare budget for 2010' in front of the Seoul KTX Station.

In spite of the difficult situation in which commodity prices have been rising rapidly and people's daily lives have become harder, a national holiday, Choosuk is around the corner in this year.  Recently, the press has reported that Korea is one of the leading groups that overcome the economic crisis and that we have to seek for exits to leap forward.

However, lives of socially vulnerable groups such as unemployed people due to this economic crisis and self-employed people who had to shut down their businesses early this year, are getting harder and harder, and further, social polarization has been getting serious.  The fresh breezes of overcoming this economic crisis have not been blown to common people.

Although there has no increases in net income for people, commodity prices have continued to skyrocket.  According to the 'consumers' commodity trends' researched in the past July, the prices of daily necessities have been rising including 5.7% in agricultural and livestock products, 6.9% in non-alcoholic beverage, and 5.7% in clothes and footwear compared to those in the same month of the previous year. Moreover, prices of city gas, one of public prices, rose by 9.3% from a year earlier.

Even if people sigh for high prices amidst the Choosuk holiday, on the past September 28, the government announced that welfare budget would rise only by 0.7% for 2010, which is directly related to people's lives. The Lee Myung Bak regime was supposed to increase welfare budget largely for people whose lives are getting harder due to the economic crisis, but it set the similar budget amount for the maintenance of the status quo since its loose policies such as its policies to reduce the taxes for rich people, the 4 major river  restoration project, and SOC. This shows that the policy stance of this regime is actually for businesses and the rich, even though it claims to support common people outwardly.

Accordingly, we at the WADLJ are at the forefront of calling for our demands to the government. Today, we are organizing a press conference and waging a campaign to be with people.

<Our demands>

1. Increase the budget for creating women's jobs for 2010!

- Increase the budget for creating women's jobs in the fields of child-care, education and social service!

- Create 20,000 jobs through the expansion of the facilities related child care and after-school education!

- Create 40,000 jobs through the expansion of national and public child-care facilities!  

- Create 50,000 jobs through the expansion and increase in child-care services for vulnerable classes! 

- Create 27,000 jobs through the expansion of long-term recuperation projects for the elderly!

- Create 20,000 jobs through the expansion of care services for parturient women and new born babies!

- Create 40,000 jobs for health and medical treatment related labor force such as home care workers and care assistants! 

2.  Expand the budget for supporting public education for 2010!

- Remit admission fees and tuition fees for high school students (budget: about 182.04 billion Won)!

- Remove parents' shares in education fees (budget: about 292.43 billion Won)! 

- Apply differential college tuition fees (budget: 340 billion Won)!

Don’t be discouraged because you have struggled for one year.  We have struggled for 25 years.

On September 24, 2009, it became a year after 88CC golf caddies started their strike. In front of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affair, golf caddies got together, showing “We want to work,” and women and/or labor activists joined them. The press conference and the struggle resolution rally, organized by Women’s Action for Decent Lives and Jobs (WADLJ) on that day, were to withdraw unfair dismissals of the golf caddies and to demand on their prompt reinstatement.

88 Country Club (88CC), a company entrusted by the Ministry has continued its unfair labor practices suppressing legal golf caddies’ trade union since past June, 2008. In September, 2008, the company dismissed a union member and decided the unlimited job suspensions of 53 unionists. Moreover, the company has dismissed 58 women workers including 3 union executives and decided the unlimited job suspensions of two union members even in 2009. During the past fall, winter, spring, summer, and this fall again, the golf caddies have continued their struggles for their rights to survive so far at the 88CC, in front of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affair, in streets, in the court, and at the labor offices. However, the company and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affair still turn their deaf ears to the women workers.

Park Sun-hee, vice president of 70s' Democratic Workers' Association who gave an incentive speech, stressed “it is from the labor that is the strongest power to change the world,” and cried in a voice of thunder, “an advanced nation does not make a big flower garden at the Kwangwhamoon Gate nor people in the country can just buy snacks. It is a real advanced country whose government respect working people, and protect their rights to survive.” In addition, she also comforted sorrowful and difficult 88CC golf caddies, saying “Don’t be discouraged because you have struggled for one year. We have struggled for 25 years.”  She was dismissed from Wonpoong Woolen Textile in the 1970s, but she was judged to be reinstated in 2003.

Kim Eun-sook, branch union president who is on unlimited hunger strike for 11 days stated “We can’t find minimum common sense that we had believed at any place,” and showed her strong will, saying “We will try to find our way by our own hands if there is no way.”  After the rally, chairpersons of women’s organizations headed for the Ministry to hand in their written opinions. After wrestling with policemen and officials of the Ministry, the rally was ended in showing the opinions to but the secretary-general not the Minister.  The Minister had refused the interviews with women’s organizations twice in the first half of this year.

To overcome pains in the era, and overcome the tragedy of the history

On past September 21, 2009, the KWWA and Martyr Kim Kyeongsook Commemoration Society in cooperation prepared for the 30^th special memorial events for commemorating the Martyr Kim Kyeongsook.  The events included a symposium, screening a film in commemoration, simple refreshment to share food of the 1970s, and memorial service, in the order named.

Kang In-soon, a professor in the Sociology department of the Kyeongnam University had a key presentation entitled women workers of the 1970s and the Korean democratic labor movement.  She made a presentation about the necessity for re-assessing the labor movement in the 1970s led by women workers working in the light industry, insisting “today irregular employment is very widely spread, and women workers are the majority of irregular workers in Korea. To take this into consideration, women workers should be the main pillar of the democratic labor movement.”

After the presentation, women workers who had or have experienced the labor movement in the workplace shared their experiences with others by era.  In particular, Kim Eun-sook, 88CC labor union president made a speech on behalf of women workers in the 2000s. Because she was under hunger strike (8 days so far), she drew a lot of attention.  Although the labor committee recognized that golf caddies of the 88CC were workers, dismissed workers have not been reinstated yet, and further because the management is reluctant to have sincere talks with workers, workers from the 88CC would have become dismissed for one year.

In the second section, a documentary film entitled ‘YH, Martyr Kim Kyeongsook, and us’ was screened jointly produced by the KWWA, Martyr Kim Kyeongsook Commemoration Society, and Korea Democracy Foundation. The film was started with the scene in which Kim Kyeongsook, a YH woman worker 30 years ago overlapped with the story of KTX crew workers’ branch union president 30 years after the YH incident. YH unionists depicted Martyr Kim Kyeongsook and YH union activities so vividly that it was deeply moved. The film will be a great source to know the YH union movement and Martyr Kim Kyeongsook.

Lastly, the memorial events were started with greeting by Choi Soon-young, a member of supreme council of the Democratic Labor Party, and an incentive speech by Ham Seh-ung, chairperson of Korea Democracy Foundation. During her speech, Choi Soon-young shed tears since a thousand thoughts crowded on her mind when she recalled past difficult memories and looked at the 88 CC trade union president who is still on the hunger strike 30 years even after the YH incident. Especially, a younger brother of the deceased Martyr Kim Kyeongsook took a part in the memorial events and shared his impressions with YH union members together.  In the memorial ceremony, Kang Ki-gap, a chairperson of the Democratic Labor Party, Kwon Young-gil, a national assembly member belonging to the Democratic Labor Party, Yoon Nan-sil vice chairperson of the Newjinbo, a political party, Lee Kang-sil, chairperson of Women Corea, Nam-Yoon Insoon, Korean Women Associations United and other activists joined.

We at the KWWA would like to express our many thanks to those who participated in the memorial events for Martyr Kim Kyeongsook.

30^th Memorial Service for Martyr Kim Kyeongsook

On past August 11, 30^th memorial service for Martyr Kim Kyeongsook was held. In the rainy day, we at the KWWA had the solemn memorial service with YH Association, 70s' Democratic Workers' Association, and activists living in the Seoul metropolitan area.

The YH incident (the death of Martyr Kim Kyeongsook) was both major labor incidents with the death of Martyr Cheon Tae-il in the 1970s in Korea. This incident led loss of the seat of the opposition party’s head in the National assembly and then, a democratic movement by the citizens of Pusan and Masan areas, which sparked the termination of the Yushin dictatorial regime.

On September 21, 2009, in celebration of her 30^th anniversary, YH Association and KWWA jointly prepared for special events. They included a documentary film for commemorating the Martyr Kim Kyeongsook, which had been prepared for 1 year, a symposium and other memorial services.

Don’t let them die any more. They’re also ‘humans!’

On an extremely sunny day, July 24, 2009, in front of the National Police Agency, the Women’s Action for Decent Lives and Jobs (WADLJ) held a press conference to tackle the issue peacefully and through communication, after hearing the news that public power will be imminently exercised at the Ssangyong Motor. However, the police surrounded WADLJ activists very tightly and demanded them to hold a press conference in front of the Records Department, instead.  In response, mothers from the Minkahyup were so furious because they have held press conferences in front of the main gate so far. We at the WADLJ raised questions why we have to hold a press conference in front of but Records Department not the main gate: and the police attempted to undermine the importance of the issues of Ssangyong Motor’s workers. We had serious argument with the police and finally, we had negotiation with the police and finally held the press conference at the spot in the middle.

The conference began with the address by Lee Kang-sil, chairperson of Women Corea.  She warned “if public power is exercised at the Ssangyong Motor, another Yongsan tragedy will be likely to take place,” to strongly urge the government to solve this matter in a peaceful way. Park Young-mi, chairperson of KWAU insisted that dismissals are like murders and employment is stabilizing the livelihood of people, in her address for denouncing the government.

Family committee of the Ssangyong Motor workers showed their distress saying “my husband is leading a worse life than animals in up there now,” because Ssangyong Motor workers cannot get any water or medicine. They also emphasized peace and communication saying “Arms such as electric guns are given to the police.”

A mothers belonging to Minkahyup highlighted human rights and respect of lives over and over, saying “these attempts to suppress workers in the violent ways were usually seen in the military regimes in Korea.”

On that day, at the end of the press conference, participants were supposed to tie ribbons which represent peace on the iron gate of the National Police Agency, but they failed to. Due to the fighting between our WADLJ participants and policemen, some participants have bruises. As a last exit, we tied all the ribbons and tried to give them to the riot police, but he refused them. That’s why the participants had to tie ribbons around the tree in front of the National Police Agency. That shows a part of the Age of Blocked Peace and Communication.

‘Unity, coexistence, and leaping forward!! Powerful executives get together here overnight!’ 2009’s membership training for integrated executives

Between past July 18 and 19, membership training for integrated executives were held at Seosan, on the title of ‘unity, coexistence, and leaping forward!! Powerful executives get together here overnight!' Up to 160 staff persons from 11 branches and KWWA’s annexed organizations took part in the membership training! You can for sure imagine that their actions and passions can high enough to change their communities and consolidate and strengthen the structures of KWWA.

The membership training was carried out at the beach for the first time in the herstory of 20 years of the KWWA, in order to overcome barriers of regions and fields and to reinforce our solidarity amongst KWWA’s executives through far better communication and unity.

After brief introduction by region, we at the KWWA and its regional branches listened up a lecture entitled ‘political crisis in the neo-liberalism and local self-government election in 2010’, delivered by Kim Byeonggwon, vice chairperson of Saesayon. “Crisis of democracy, crisis of civil economy and crisis of North and South Korean relationship: these are what describe the current states of the Korean society the most properly. He started his lecture like this, and explained changed relationship between the two Koreas by era and regime and effects of political situations on economy.  Under this political circumstance, he emphasized what we need for the local government elections in 2010 is ‘the activation of mass movement based on new political empowerment, and commented that executives ourselves should work hard to place ourselves at the center of ‘the political empowerment movement’ through a variety of learning and discussion.

The second lecture entitled ‘Let’s wage alternative economic movement to overcome capitalism’ was delivered by Jeong Moon Ja, chairperson of the KWWA.  While looking at the activities of the KWWA for the past 20 years, we found in the frame of alternative economy (movement), answers to the question of ‘although we worked hard, why are we still in difficulties’.  After we had discussion by section regarding outcomes and tasks of our present alternative movement including ‘seeds for exchanging hope,’ ‘National Cooperative of House Managers (NCHM),’ ‘mutual aid societies’, and ‘credit unions, we also had a time to make presentation to find ways to activate our alternative movement in our daily lives.

On the previous day it was rainy. However on July 19, 2009, it was so sunny and fine that all of us had a good time to join a field day at the beach.  All participants joined a relay race at the beach and mock cavalry battle games. We were united, and enjoyed our strong solidarity, overcoming the barriers of regions and areas.

5^th Labor Forum: discussing the law-making regarding specially hired workers’ issues (presented by Kim Jin, a lawyer)

The death of Park Jong-tae belonging to the Korean Transportation Workers’ Trade Union played a crucial role in drawing attention to specially hired workers’ issues again that had subsided. The current government has not taken any alternative measures for specially hired workers.  What is worse, the current government has driven specially hired workers into a tight corner when we look at the government’s policy that it does not recognize 88CC union belonging to the KWTU and dismissed union members.  Presently, specially hired workers were ranked third after fixed-term workers and part-timers, and women constituted a higher ratio: specially hired women workers accounted for 5.9% and men 2.2% of all the workers (2008, Korea Labor & Society Institute). This shows women should not ignore issues of specially hired workers.

In this labor forum, to draw more attention to issues of specially hired employment, proposals made by the Democratic Party and the Democratic Labor Party were looked at carefully.

According to the proposal made by the Democratic Party (especially by Kim Sanghee),  written contracts, payment, and annual leaves which are the core of the Labor Standard Law are recognized and the trade union act should be applied for. The proposal made by the Democratic Labor Party (especially by Hong Heeduck) expands the concepts of workers and users in the Labor Standard Law and Trade Union Act.  Presently, the two proposals concerning specially hired employment are pending in the Labor Environment Committee of the National Assembly.  The KWWA and KWTU have decided to search for the ways to address the matters of specially hired employment through other discussions.

<Public authorities at the head in dismissing irregular workers>

On July 14, 2009, 'Women’s Action for Decent Lives and Jobs’ (WADLJ) hosted ‘a rally for denouncement of the dismissals of irregular workers working at public institutes and the demand to regularize irregular workers.  In this rally, about 100 people gathered together, who are activists belonging to WADLJ, KBS fix-term workers who had been dismissed owing to the expiration of their contracts, those working at veterans hospitals, Korea Workers Accident Medical Corporation (K-medi), and contracted women workers whose work will be decided to be outsourced by KBS.

In the declaration, WADLJ denounced the government and the Grand National Party, saying “the Ministry of Labor that should have supported the upgrading of irregular workers at private companies and been concerned for the measures, and rather, it has made tacit approval of the ‘planned dismissals’ of irregular workers at public institutes, and public institutes are at the head in dismissing irregular workers. The government and the Grand National Party insisted in the deferment of the application of the Temporary Employee Protection Act, but there have been no incidents of dismissing 1,000,000 irregular workers that the government expected although more than 2 year and 10 days has been passed by since the act was effective.”

In addition, they claimed “women are 14 out of the 21 irregular KBS workers whose contracts were expired, and 127 among 145 dismissed workers by Korea Land Corporation. Women workers constituted 80% of all dismissed irregular workers by veterans hospitals. Recently most of irregular workers dismissed by public institutions are women.  Women workers have suffered a lot as the social weak, from the ‘planned dismissals’ by the government and the Grand National Party.”

In this rally, 4 workers dismissed by KBS, veterans hospitals and Korea Workers Accident Medical Corporation (K-medi) appealed the withdrawal of their dismissals and the transferring to regular workers. Kim Sanghee, a congresswomen belonging to Democratic Party and working at the Environment and Labor Committee stated “the government and the Grand National Party should listen to the appeals by the irregular workers who looked forward to the realization of their hope to become regular workers.  I am very sad about their painful realities.”

A performance was carried out at the end of the rally: actresses insinuated the Ministry of Labor who make tacit approval of the dismissal of irregular workers and take no measures for transferring and upgrading irregular workers. Participants threw water balloons to the Ministry of Labor that neglects its duties.

<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.

<The government and the Grand National Party should listen to cries of irregular workers>

On June 25, 2009, in front of the government building at the Kwangwhamoon, Women’s Action for Decent Lives and Jobs (WADLJ) held a press conference to emphasize that the government and the Grand National Party, the ruling party should stop the 3 year deferment of the Temporary Employee Protection Act which they have proposed, because it pushes irregular workers into far deeper abyss of despair. Currently, the Grand National Party claims that the 3 year deferment of the Temporary Employee Protection Act should be an alternative for dismissed irregular workers, but that is against all reason.  Rather, the public sector which should have taken the lead in the regularization of irregular workers, has attempted to dismiss irregular workers. The government is like a parent who discards a malformed newborn baby.

Lee Kangsil, chairperson of Women Corea clarified that the government should do its best but to regularize irregular workers not to spend money polluting the 4 major rivers in Korea, saying “the government needs only 2,400 billion won even if the government provides the subsidiary of regularization for 334,700 irregular workers who are targeted by the Temporary Employee Protection Act” in her address. She was followed by Park Namhee, the president of KWTU who questioned the role of the government, condemning “comprehensive measures for irregular workers in the public sector have all disappeared”.

Kim Hyo-sook, Korea Broadcasting Station (KBS) union president for fix-term workers asked why they have to be fired, saying “what we know is that we have worked hard for KBS”. After that, full text of the conference was read.  The government and the Grand National Party should clearly recognize this: when killing the livelihood of irregular workers and common people, the nation cannot stand solidly.

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Full Text of Press Conference >>>

The government and Grand National Party, listen to the cries of irregular workers.

The Grand National Party has decided to make a proposal to amend the Temporary Employee Protection Act to defer for three years, the application of the clause regarding ‘the 2 year period of use of the irregular workers,’ just before the completion of the two years since the enforcement of the law. Moreover, the Minister of Strategy and Finance has ignored the right to survive for workers, saying he would ‘improve the flexibility in the labor market more adequately and properly,” or “expansion measures of dispatched workers are under consideration.”

The Temporary Employee Protection Act aims to prevent the abuse of irregular workers and reform discriminations against irregular workers.  In spite of many arguments and disagreements, the law was made to improve the reality of Korean irregular workers who are characterized as their insecure employment and low wages. Initially, although the labor demanded to limit the reasons of using irregular workers, the government persisted in the limitation to only the duration, and further it viewed it as possible for the government to stop the user from using irregular workers for the purpose of cheap labor, through the introduction of discrimination correction system for irregular workers. Now, the government changed its initial stance: the current government ignores its basic goals.  A law is a social promise and a norm. The government usually emphasizes the importance of constitutionalism, but why is its application often different at its convenience!

It is proper role of the government that preventing in advance, companies from dismissing irregular workers whose periods of use are 2 years and that encouraging the regularization of irregular workers. However, the government ignores the cries of 8.8 million irregular workers and only meets the demands of companies.  That countermeasures have disappeared is true in the public sector that should exemplify the upgrading of irregular workers to regular workers. Comprehensive measures for irregular workers in the public sector are just nominal: finance and human resources have disappeared.

In addition, what happened in KBS, the public broadcasting service? It is shameful that KBS dismissed 222 contract workers and employed 159 workers into its subsidiary company. This means that KBS has given up its title as the public broadcasting.  How can the company treat and generate public interests although it ignore social tasks and dispose workers like disposable products?

This is a piece of iceberg. Today, irregular workers suffer from the threat of dismissals and receive low wages.  Because there is no solid social safety net, workers have to worry about their livelihood if they are unemployed. In this situation, the government and the Grand National Party only concerned for the interests of companies drives the lives of most civilians into extreme distress.

The pillars of a nation are not companies or the government, either, but workers working hard and common people who leading a sincere life in the forefront of livelihood. Recently, monthly wage gaps between regular workers and irregular workers are 506,000 won.  Even though the government supports 50% of the cost for transferring and upgrading to regular workers, 334,700 irregular workers who are targeted for the upgrading, it spends only 2400 billion won for two years. It takes just 1/10 of the budget for maintaining the 4 major rivers in Korea that the current government insists and it is also only 1/10 of the decreased annual taxes because of the reduction for the rich.

The government should take measures to consolidate effectiveness of the act. In order to solidify the effectiveness of the discrimination correction system, the main body for the correction should be expanded to labor unions and specialist groups, and further, all working conditions should be dealt with, and target for the comparison should be expanded to workers with equal pay for job of equal value. The government should provide measures to prevent massive dismissals using the Temporary Employee Protection Act as an excuse. Standards for equal pay for job of equal value (the introduction of gender-sensitive job evaluation models and guidelines) should be prepared.

It is not late. It is time to listen up the cries of irregular workers.  The government should listen to 99% of common people rather than just 1% rich people.  To save irregular workers is the way for Korea to lead a proper life and flourish.

Our demands

1. The Grand National Party should withdraw immediately the 3 year deferment of the Temporary Employee Protection Act!

1. Provide 2,400 billion won for the transferring of irregular workers to regular workers and fulfill it immediately!

1. Consolidate effectiveness of the act!

1. Take measures for irregular workers in the public sector.

                                                 June 25, 2009

                                           Women’s Action for Decent Lives and Jobs