one person relay demonstration carried out for condemning violent police against candlelight demonstration and stepping down the police commander

 Women's organizations such as Korean Women Workers Association, Korean Women's Associations United, Women Corea, Schoolbob, and Korean Womenlink demanded police commander Eu Cheongsoo should be stepped down and punish policemen in charge of violence against peaceful candlelight demonstrations.
In the one person relay demonstration carried out 3 days straight, a candlelight tower was set up and lit for 55 hours to express women's anger against and retirement of the police commander responsible for suppressive violence against peaceful demonstrations.
Jung Moon-ja vice president, Kimshin Hae-jung and Shin Myeongjin From KWWA, joined the 'one person relay demonstration' between 1pm ~5 pm on June 8th, 2008.

women's campaign carried out on obtaining minimum wage of 1 million Won -"Without money people can't help eating US mad cow beef"

 Minimum wages have been increased little by little. In 2008, the minimum wage is set as 3,770 Won per hour and 787,930 Won a month by a standard of 40 hours. However, the initial minimum wage was so low that it has hardly been able to catch up with sharply increasing commodity prices.

In 2008 there were only 8.3% increase compared to a minimum wage of 727,930 Won (3,480 Won per hour) in 2007. Most cleaners receiving minimum wages are female householders, and so their incomes usually mean those by their whole families. Demands made by workers receiving a minimum wage are desperate and urgent. They say "I would have no more wishes if I receive 1 million Won," the wage that they can maintain their minimum livelihood.  Let's look at an example: more>>

workshop on 'Indirect Employment' Held for Hotline for Equality's Counselors 

During a workshop in May 27th, 2008, Eun Soomi (a researcher of Korea Labor Institute) delivered a lecture on indirect employment to counselors belonging to Hotline for Equality and Ko Gyeongseop, a certified labor attorney carried out some case studies with counselors.

During the lecture, we at KWWA had a good time to share and think over what indirect employments are, what situations of indirect employment women workers face, how indirect employments have been changed since the enactment of Irregular Employment Act, what causes are of increasing indirect employment, and what counter-measures we can take. In particular, it is noticeable that other forms of employments such as subcontracted workers have been increasing while the number of fixed term employment has been declined.  Eun Soomi pointed out the fact that there have been rises in indirect employment, since labor management by employers has largely preferred indirect labor management to direct one. more>>

Korean Candle Demonstration against U.S. Beef
Teenage girls play an important role in forming public opinions

 During the last holidays on May 2nd and 3rd, 2008 unusual incidents caught our eyes at the Cheonggyecheon Plaza. In the evening on the last May 2nd, unexpectedly massive citizens and netizens gathered together, lodging a protest against U.S. beef contaminated by mad cow diseases, at a candlelight vigil. Another candle demonstrations coloring the Cheonggyecheon Plaza red with red candlelights, were organized on the following day, and in May 6th evening, similar kinds of rallies were planned to be organized at Yeoido and the Cheonggyecheon Plaza, respectively.
 The series of demonstrations in which the protestors expressed their public opinions against U.S. beef, were found to be outstandingly different from other rallies which had been organized before:
The political views were not important in the series of demonstrations. Many participants who were engaged in the candlelight vigils often said "(before) I have never joined rallies nor demonstrations. But this time I can't stand any more."
The demonstrators are very different from conservative Korean press' points of view about who they are. In this demonstration, not leftists nor anti-U.S. activists, but citizens took the lead, who were concerned about the right to health and thought this new regime made a big mistake during the U.S. beef negotiation. Nevertheless, they are also worried about that their pure intention might be made a bad use of by the existing certain political powers or 'radical activists.' more>>

Korean women workers' forum held for realizing equal pay
for work of equal value and gender sensitive job evaluation

 On May 7th, 2008,  Korean Women Workers Association(KWWA) and Korean Women's Trade Union (KWTU) organized the first Korean women workers' forum entitled "comparative analysis of wage discrimination  prevention systems in the U.S. and U.K. and their implications to Korea", in order to achieve equal pay for work of equal value and gender sensitive job evaluation (presented by professor Oh Kye Taek) at KWWA's seminar room. In this forum, U.S. and U.K.'s legal basis and operating organizations of equal pay for work of equal value, legal explanation and evaluation methods regarding equal pay for work of equal value. more>>

KWWA's Activity Plans & Major Tasks in 2008

 Since the Korean economic crisis in 1997 the words such as globalization, social polarization, working poor people, irregular workers have often been heard in the Korean society. We are living in the tough society where 'economic growth cannot tackle unemployment', 'employment cannot solve poverty' nor 'people cannot overcome the big gaps between regular workers and irregular workers, large-sized companies and very small companies, rich people and poor people, students studying very well and those who have poor scores.' The great majority of women lead a very hard life, but they cannot be linked to the labor movement which usually aims to guarantee lifelong jobs and welfare in the workplace, regular workers, and family wages, which are far from irregular women workers' demands. In order to improve conditions for women workers, there should be affirmative attempts to empower 'women workers, so that they can weave their hopes'. Various forms of movements should be applied to women workers' movement in order to 'introduce fair wages and social securities as means of overcoming the boundary of companies' and 'creating alternative living.' (quoted from The Evaluation of KWWA for 20 Years). more>>

Single parent families, fly high with the wings of hope!
- Outcomes of women single parent families care services -

 Between March 2007 and February 2008, KWWA had supported child care services, house care services, and temporary nursery system in hospital (so-called hospis system) in order that KWWA can help women single parents look for their jobs and can enhance their health and emotional peace. A Korean broadcast station as a social contribution activity financed this project through the Korea Foundation for Women and KWWA and Korean Women’s Associations United carried out the project. Especially KWWA's regional branch organizations in Seoul, Incheon, Pucheon, Ansan and Suwon Women's Organization conducted the specific project. These women's organizations provided care services for 195 families per month and about 2000 families a year, as means of providing single parent families economic and emotional support. more>>

Women workers' situations through counseling analysis
conducted by Hotline for Equality in 2007 

Hotlines for Equality (sited in 8 regions including Seoul, Incheon, Pucheon, Ansan, Masan & Changwon, North Cholla province, kwangju and Pusan) annexed to KWWA, received the total number of 2,353 cases related to female labor in 2007, (except re-counseling and male counseling). If we look at the characteristics of women workers who had counseling with Hotlines for Equality, 74.1% are married and 40.1% are over 40 years old, which means the great majority are middle aged married women. In addition, 62.1% work at very small companies with less than 30 employees and 44.1% are irregular workers.

In terms of contents about counseling, working conditions such as wage delays and unfair dismissals accounted for 62.3% out of the total counseling in 2007, which was the highest percentage, maternity leave 14.1%, sexual harassment at workplace 11.1%, and gender discrimination 7.0%. In the case of changes in the contents about counseling for these 3 years, working conditions related counseling which accounted for 54.9% in 2006, increased dramatically in 2007, but counseling regarding gender discrimination, sexual harassment, maternity leaves, verbal and physical violences decreased a little bit. This shows that working condition related counseling increased due to worsening working conditions for women workers, caused by deepening social polarization and flexibility in the labor market. more>>

A symposium was held under the theme of “examination and vision of
the Korean women workers’ movement for 20 years.”

Women's Day Festival Held in Celebration of 100 years of International Women's Day: "Women, Let's Open the Curtain of New Communities World."

Korean Women's Day Organizing Committee for Celebrating 100 Years of International Women's Day (KWDOC), formed by 167 nationwide women's organizations such as Korean Women’s Associations United (KWAU), Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), and Women Corea, hosted Korean Women's Day Festival in celebration of 100 years of International Women's Day on March 8th 2008, under the slogan "Women, let's open the curtain of new communities world." This festival aims to commemorate 100 years of international women's day, to project a sustainable future of the Korean women's movement, and to have good communication with people.
At the ceremony, Wednesday demonstrations organized by the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan won 20th Korean Women's Movement Award, and 'Statement by Korean Women' was declared entitled "Women, let's open the curtain of new communities world."
A big parade and performances were followed to show hope and dream for new communities society. At the parade 5,000 members in 4 different colors, belonging to nationwide women's organizations marched about 3.8 km, along with car parades with the themes of "Women open a world," "Women take action," "Women fly high," and "New communities world." more>>

Korean Women Workers' Movement, Let's Fly High!
- in celebration of 100 years of international women's day,
organized by Working Women's Hope Forum

Bustlingly and tumultuously! Working Women's Hope Forum started like that. Only one direction that the Korean women workers' movement was pursuing is not the only one solution. A new age has come, where we should "accept differences" and people have to be sensitive to the differences." However, we should also speak with one voice on important issues. In this sense, the Korean women workers' movement is not exceptional.
On March 4th 2008, about 70 women workers' activists gather together. In celebration of 100 years of international women's day, 6 member organizations (Korean Women Workers Association (KWWA), Korean Women's Trade Union (KWTU), Korean Womenlink, Korean Women’s Associations United (KWAU), Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) belonging to women workers' solidarity conference prepared for the working women's hope forum, entitled "Korean Women Workers' Movement, Let's Wing Away." In the first session, presentations were made. Each organization leader briefed its tasks and directions of activities for this year, and Dr. Eun Soo-mi and sociologist Lee Joo-hee, as experts gave suggestions about the situations and directions of the Korean women workers' movement. In the second session, participants were divided and carried out discussion by topic. more>>