VOICES FROM THE WORKPLACE

Work as a caddy

At the end of 1997, there were many people who had lost their jobs and even given up their homes and they lived in the consciousness of having 'failed' and having been kicked out from society under the serious economic IMF crisis. At that time we did not really feel any personal changes. I just felt a bit sorry for them and a bit guilty for my own comfortable life.

I reflect that I was somewhat arrogant about my status. I was an ordinary mother and, at the same time, I was a career woman as a caddy. My career helped to stabilize the financial situation of my family. My husband, who was very against my work, began to acknowledge my career. I was happy to have our family nest which remained unshaken by IMF.

Retrenchment of those over 41 years old

Nobody can tell the future! A dark storm has come to my company. Last year, a senior caddy broke her leg due to the break-down of a machine. It was the dark cloud heralding the storm. The managers insisted that the accident occurred because she was too old to avoid the accident. After the accident, the company ordered the retrenchment of those caddies over 41 years old.

The company did not investigate whether their mechanics had made a mistake in looking after the machines but suppressed our complaints. Without taking responsibility for the work done by their mechanics, they threw us away under the name of a generation shift. I felt profoundly a sense of the selfishness and power of society which I had not experienced in depth before.

There were 12 women over 41. It was really unfair. We tried to work hard and even worked more than our young colleagues. We put two or three times the efforts due to our awareness of our ages. There was no way to speak out for ourselves even though we were badly treated because we were not temporary workers or permanent workers. We could not receive any compensation for our injuries. In spite of our full efforts for the company, they cornered us.

We were so angry and frustrated by the words of seniors who said that the young women with pretty faces could be excused for any mistake. It reflected the Philistinism of men. The managers did not listen to us but tried to pressure us to resign. We finally wrote an appeal letter to the Board of Audit and Inspection. Then we visited the president of the company. 5 of the 12 workers on the list met the president. In the meeting the we explained our situation and begged to be able to continue to work. The president, who knew nothing about it, simply accepted our plea.

We were so happy that we worked for the company very hard. We really thought that there would be no more problems. Almost a year passed and our manager moved to another department and a new manager came. We came to know about the plans of the managers to dismiss 6 workers in March - for example, those who were born in 1958 in June. We could not believe the news. In December the oldest caddies were retrenched and March [traditionally the time of change and new recruitment drives in Korea] finally arrived.

I was told to resign. Where has the president's promise gone? We again tried to appeal against our situation. We didn't receive any compensation and have no other place to work. At over 40 years old, where can we go to work? The company sneered at our pleas saying that we might try to appeal to the Blue House or National Congress if we wished. We continued to beg for reinstatement of work. We were all exhausted and almost gave up. We were gradually dying everyday.

No compromise if we won't give up

One day someone came to us and told us that there was somewhere we could go to get help and be rescued. The person encouraged us to visit to get help to regain power and be given courage. At first we were not very positive. However our friend brought us a tape recorder and continued to encourage us. The place, to which six of us paid a very tentative and shy visit, was the Korean Women Workers Association United.

We knocked on the door very quietly and entered into the room. Ms. Soon Im Choi, a Counseling Officer, welcomed us with a warm smile. We were relaxed by the gentle and mild impression she gave. She encouraged us to build up our courage and determination to struggle for our rights. We felt somewhat ashamed: we had simply given up our rights and tried to compromise for the sake of convenience.

We made a strong determination to challenge the company. We started our hard journey from that day. We appealed again to the managers and they ignored us. We wondered if the president knew about our case. We informed the Master Control Room of our visit to the president and directly we went to the president's room.

Some physically-threatening senior officers were waiting for us in front of the president's room and stopped us entering. We were almost driven out of the place and were brought to the room of the managing director. We told him our story and asked for the reinstatement of those laid-off. The managing director said that it was due to the company requirements. We insisted on meeting the president, and at last we were allowed to see him.

He was totally different from the president whom we met a year ago. He explained that the decision was in accordance with the direction and principles of the company and there was to be no exception. We could do nothing but cry silently. We brought the tape recorder to the president's room but we could not press the button because we were so tense.

Struggle through wall poster campaigning at dawn

The difficult struggle continued. We wrote posters everyday and put them on the walls of the company at early dawn. Words to the president, words to the caddies, appeals for us to regain our rights, and so on, were written on the posters. We continued to put them up and the company continued to take them down.

In the process, we all were mentally and physically exhausted. Some of us had serious health problems. Some had nervous gastritis, and they vomited and suffered from diarrhea. We began to worry. When a colleague questioned, "How can we win this struggle?", I was also worrying about the same thing.

However, we continue to fight. Even when I returned home, my mind was full of things related to the struggle: which words on the posters could make a stonger appeal, how to write to move the minds of the managers, etc. Due to my commitment, my house was a mess.

I told my husband that I could not stop now because I was the one who was leading the struggle and had a colleague who had bought me a tape recorder as encouragement. My husband understood me and cared for my health. He made sure I ate and slept well. I was so grateful to my husband. The most painful thing came from the remaining caddies.

They sympathized with us from the beginning until the end of March. However, when our caddy numbers were removed from the list they turned away from us. It seemed that we had lost everything with our caddy numbers. Our former colleagues implied that the company would be all right if we, the old caddies, left. I was really eager to stop campaigning. The company managers were trying to divide us by saying that the company might accept those who were born in 1958.

The determination of our group was starting to fade. It was hard enough to make myself stand firmly, and it was almost impossible to hold others. The only thing I could do was to persuade them not to give up. I told them that it was not easy to be recognized as a career woman and we should battle on. Whenever I was at a loss, I came to Seoul and met Ms. Choi and gained new strength. I tried to remember the encouragement and help she gave me every time I needed new will to fight.

Returning to the workplace and regaining caddy numbers

Owing to the efforts of the Korean Women Workers Association United, we held the first labour management negotiations on April 7. After the negotiations, we learned that we were in an advantageous position, and some of the remaining caddies were on our side. The attitude of the managers had also changed.

When the second negotiations were scheduled for April 14, the managers were eager to resolve the problem before the second negotiations began. The attitudes of the older caddies had also changed. The company demanded an apology letter in order to keep the pride of the company and the president.

We demanded in return that the promises made through the negotaitions be made official. Both sides of the dispute were in tense confrontation. The company suggested that we forget both about the apology letter and the formalizing of the negotiation agreements, and we did so, as a mark of respect to the company.

Finally the company allowed our original number to return to work. The struggle from April 1 to April 14 was the unforgettable and great hardship in my life. I think it was achieved by a good co-operative effort by the Korean Women Workers Association United and our own consolidated powers. How can I express my feelings and emotions that were born in the process of every moment of struggle?

I believe that we should work hard and, at the same time, we should be aware of our rights from now on. I would like to express my warm and heartfelt thanks to the staff of the Korean Women Workers Association United.

Ms. XXX, an irregular guard servant in the district office, xx city, Kyounggi-do province, received notification that, "One hundred thousand won will be deducted from your salary from 1999 in order to return the extra payment for overtime work for the past two years." According to the budget execution I instructions of the city administration, all extra payments should be signed by the receiver as confirmation.

However, the district office did not prepare the confirmation note and this was dis-covered during the general audit. The auditor instructed that the overtime payments made to the guard servant which were paid without any confirmation be returned.

The office guard servants are sent to every dong office by the city authority and their main work is to clean the office. They always come to the office an hour early to clean the place and for that they receive overtime payment. In this case, the problem was the confirmation of overtime payment. In fact he dong office administration was responsible for not providing the confirmation note.

However, this res-ponsibility was loaded onto the servant. Furthermore the xx city authority reduced the working days of irregular workers for a year from 300 days to 280 days in accordance with the local autonomy principle. This one-sided instruction was announced; "The weekly off payment will be paid only for 40 weeks.

The monthly off payment will be terminated and the annual days off will be replaced by vacation." The guard servants felt unable to protest due to feeling job insecurity. Therefore he wrote an appeal to the xx city authority anonymously regarding the unfair treatment. The response stated: "It is fair to return the extra payment for overtime work.

The weekly off payment is for full presence at work, it can be paid only for 40 weeks and the monthly off payment has now no basis on which to be paid as working days have been reduced." Furthermore, the city sent their people to the dong office in order to find out who wrote the appeal.

The Equal Rights Counseling Center at the KWWAU enrolled the case in March 1999. They then sent an official letter to the xx city hall with the following content: The guard servants overworked 25 hours a month following the instructions of the dong office, and they should be paid for their overwork unconditionally. The absence of a document of confirmation is not their fault but is due to the an administrative error in the dong office.

The person in charge of the dong office should be responsible for that. Since the guard servants and xx city made a contract of 280 days of working days, the payments for weekly off, monthly off, and annual off are supposed to be paid if a worker has been wholly present for the contracted days. The Equal Rights Counseling of KWWAU urged the city authority to retract its unjust treatment.

Finally the case was concluded with the response from xx city as follows: "The overtime payments will be repaid to the servants and the payments for the weekly, monthly, and annual off days will be also paid."

Retraction of maternity protection under the economic crisis

We women workers have worked hard even through overtime work or all-night work. In spite of our efforts, we have simply been kicked out of our workplace under the name of IMF and the economic crisis. All of a sudden, a number of workers have been thrown into the streets, their families have been separated, and they are facing the crisis of family break-up.

Under these difficult circumstances, the first sacrificed have been women. This is not a new phenomenon. These are chronic symptoms from the past. At the end of 1997, the foreign exchange reserves ran out and the relief funds from IMF led the national economy into a new era. The people were suffering from a fear of national economic collapse. Even the seemingly successful enterprises went down, and the workers met a threat of unemployment unparalleled in history.

Hospitals were not exceptional. The drop in the foreign exchange rate made it difficult to purchase expensive medical equipment and the decrease in the number of patients added to the problem. Compared to other sectors of the society, the loss sustained by hospitals was not that serious. However, the owners of hospitals sought to capitalize on the situation.

They tried to make more profits through wage retrench, return of bonuses, compulsory vacation (in order to avoid paying working allowance for the vacation period), reducing expenses, enforcing overtime work, etc. under the name of the economic crisis. Workers were suffering from both over-burdened work loads due to no new recruits and the loss of power in their workplaces.

Entering into the year of 1999, the workers' sufferings have not decreased while the whole economic situation is improving. For instance, the women workers had to give up women's holidays last year [monthly days-off during menstruation]. Even in 1999 unconditional rights to this leave have still not been restored.

Research last March showed that the women workers in seventeen workplaces did not receive women's holidays and the maternity leave has also decreased in length. Maternity protection has been forsaken due to the economic crisis.

Pressure to give up women's holidays and to shorten maternity leave

Hospitals are workplaces in which most of the employees are women. In spite of the increased presence of female workers, they were enforced to return their monthly leaves and had to come to work before regaining their health after giving birth. The monthly leave is a very important and indisputable right of women. Employers must not be allowed to force employees to give it up.

The reasons are: first, it is guaranteed by law; second, the monthly leave should be guaranteed in the light of maternity protection; third, the length of total vacation in Korea is shorter than that in other countries; fourth, the monthly leave is still used in a way to increase wages; fifth, the working hours in Korea are longer than in other countries; sixth, there is no special leave for nursing children and parents in case of illness; and seventh, when monthly leave is taken room is made for further recruits.

he Labor Union of Heath & Medical Treatment urged the Labor Ministry to conduct a special audit on seventeen workplaces and also demanded legal punishment for the employers. The local labor offices conducted investigations. Some of the workplaces have improved their working conditions. However, some of them are still in the same situation.

The reasons monthly leave is not used are, according to our research: firstly, the workers wish to take monthly leave but are pressured to give it up due to the atmosphere created by the managers; secondly, workers are conditioned to give up the leave due to the fact that they were forced to in previous difficult years;

thirdly, due to awareness of the difficult financial situation of the hospital; fourthly, the workers themselves give it up in order to make a good impression on their managers so as to improve scores in individual working records, etc.

The consideration of women's Holidays should be valued in the light of maternity protection

The attitude of supervisors sent by the local labor office has changed a lot and thus has a different, more positive, effect. In the past the supervisors were sent only for superficial reasons. Now, the issue is related to women's issues, and the union has demanded female supervisors. Inspections are therefore carried out with more precise ends and standards in mind.

For example, in a certain workplace, the supervisor ordered payment for the past three years of unused monthly leave. It was a very positive change in labor administration.

Since 1993, the controversy on the women's holiday has continued. It may be due to the fact that there are not many countries where women's holidays are granted. However, compared to the member countries of the OECD, Korea has less vacations, longer working hours, and much less maternity protection.

Therefore we still need to consider carefully the value of women's holidays. In the light of improving and developing labor conditions and maternity protection, women's holidays must be carefully evaluated and not just merely dispensed with.

A woman, like the wind, can never be trapped in a net
- Ahn Sooyoung, a writer in 'Oreum', a women's art group -

Ahn Sooyoung, multi-media writer

Ahn Sooyoung is a single writer, who has just reached 30 years old. She writes using many media of expression. She makes dolls. Making dolls, she writes playbooks. After writing a playbook and making dolls, she talks with the dolls and plays with them.

She likes children and loves their culture so much that she once dreamed of being a children's storybook author. She also once wanted to be a radio actress. Puppet shows were the best choice for her. The Oreum provided a venue for her strong and vital direction.

The Oreum is a pure Korean term for the molten lava thrusting up through the volcanoes in Chaeju island. The term also has another meaning. It means 'climbing up'. The Oreum group chose the name to symbolize their wish to see women's culture put up the agenda, and become a part of mainstream culture rather than a sideline. The pretty Korean term implies a certain strength and stocky beauty.

"The Oreum is a women arts group planning and producing plays, puppet shows, music, Goot , etc. in the light of feminism. It was established in January 1997 with the purpose of setting up an equal culture overcoming our sexually discriminative one. I started working with Oreum a year after its establishment."

My curiosity surrounding her puppet play, which I haven't seen yet, is increasing. In fact Oreum is not a new organization. They have provided a performance at the March 8 Women Workers' Rally every year since its establishment. This year they have prepared a song-play with the theme of the problem of irregular workers and female unemployment. The task of writing the playbook was given to Ahn Sooyoung

"I have concentrated on puppet plays for some time and the theme is a hot issue these days and therefore it was quite a burden for me. I had not reflected extensively on women workers' issues and have never before written a song-play. However I tried to do my best with my faith that what was given to me was important and it was necessary work for my organization. I was involved in a student movement when I was a student and that experience helped me a lot."

Inspiration gotten from the workers' rally

Her basic understanding of the labor movement was born through the poetry of Park Nohae, 'Early Dawn of Labor', which was found on the book shelf of her sister, with whom she lived for a certain period. At that time she wanted to be a reporter and wanted to do good.

She entered the Sacred Heart University, majoring in Korean literature, in 1989. At university she joined in the students' newspaper. There were continuous seminars on social, political, and economical issues. What she had thought to be immovable was shaken and it was hard for her to digest all the new knowledge.

"The reason why I committed myself to the movement was not owing to theoretical backgrounds but to the emotional influences of various workers' rallies and the activities of the mothers whose sons and daughters were in prison due to their commitment.

When I was a senior in the university I was elected as vice-president of the students' council and the whole year was spent in street demonstrations. I can still recall the voices of the masses in the street whenever I pass the bell house .

My first experience of a street demonstration was when I was a sophomore. I went to the bell house with my friend in order to take part in the street demonstration. It was nearly time for the demonstration but there were no gatherings of people. I was very tense and began to worry that information might have found its way to the police.

All of sudden there was a siren and, at the same time, most of the people on the street, who were walking normally, gathered as groups and formed a mass. We started singing and the crowd marched on the street and more people joined. I will never forget the passion I felt on that day.

Life of a woman and her emotional inheritance from her mother

Under the title of 'Hope for Beautiful Future' the script of the song-play for the March 8 women workers' rally had gone through 11 amendments to fit every new situation. The primary function of the play was to collect the stories and illustrate the problems of irregular women workers and the problems associated with female unemployment.

She wrote the words of songs as if she were writing a poem. Lee Haeran, an Oreum representative, worked together with other staff on her writings to improve the final product.

Writing the words of songs, she could clarify her thoughts and put into concrete form the actualities of a Korean woman's life. Writing itself was not hard work for her, as she had worked in the planning and business department of the Korean Broad-casting System for a year and eight months, and also as a writer for non-drama programmes.

She is a member of a writers' group, which is composed of her university friends, and the group publishes a monthly newsletter. All those experiences have helped her to maintain and develop her writing capacity.

"The newsletter is only 16 to 24 pages of A4 size. We take a turns to produce it and distribute the newsletters to our friends. Last year we had a small music concert in a small coffee shop rented for the tenth anniversary of our group. Aren't there some difficult things in our lives? I don't worry too much because I have good colleagues who encourage each other and are ready to give a hand."

I was very impressed by her, her friends, and her faith in her friends. One month before the performance, they started practice. They did not perform by themselves but always in the practice place. They amended the words as the need arose. The Oreum actresses are mostly very experienced and talented. Ahn Sooyoung often could not believe she had written the words, and was so impressed by their performance that she cried almost every day.

"The most difficult part of the playbook was the part in which the mother turns up. In order to show the painful life of woman in this country and its history, the role of mothers was very important. It was not the story of my age and I had not experienced that part of life yet. Therefore I had to be very careful in that respect."

In fact, it is not that difficult. We can easily recall the life of our mothers. She also tried to remember her mother and in some parts she quotes things her mother said. She was born in March 4 1970 in Daechon, Choongnam as the youngest in a family of one boy and four daughters.

Her parents were very enthusiastic for their children to be educated. They used to say that they would beg to provide an education for their children. Her mother did whatever work she could get like sewing, washing dishes, and washing clothes.

She can remember the nights her sisters sewed until late. She pitied her mother, who was like an innocent girl with clear eyes, and never lived against the principle of nature. Her mother said, "No April without threshing barley, no October without cultivating rice." She was never against her mother.

She knew the difficulties endured by her parents and was obedient to her elder brother and sisters. As long as she remembers, she was more mature than other girls in her age. It was why she did not have many friends in her peergroup.

When she was a student of junior and senior high schools, she heard from her brother and some teachers conscious of the social troubles of the Kwangjoo struggle and social problems, but she regarded them as stories from a distant country. Her song-play was a success and the audience gave great applause. Her feeling after the performance was special.

"It was an important experience. I learned a lot and it made me expand my thoughts. If I could have another chance to do the same work, I would work harder towards the final product. I will make a great commitment for at least three years. My efforts will be meaningful and helpful in children's culture, on which I would like to concentrate. I will do whatever I can do."

India led her to a life closer to nature

A year and half ago, she quit her job in KBS. She was at a loss in her job in which she had to promote the power of broadcasting. After quitting her work with KBS and opting to join the Oreum, she left for India with a small sack. India is famous for the traditional puppet plays and the puppet play medium is particularly well developed in Rajasthan.

"I was a bit afraid of traveling alone but it was a really happy time. I was very impressed by the hot air which I breathed as soon as I landed at Bombay International Airport. Lots of pollution, old cars and strange sounds, rickshaws weaving in and out of the cars and animals, all this seemed to me like chaos.

They always said "No problem!" and yet I had to wait at least twelve hours in order to move from place to place. I had to learn to wait. I visited much of the countryside. The people, who live in harmony with nature and are very relaxed, impressed even me more than the beautiful countryside."

She learned a lot in India during her three months' stay. She learned to be freer in the way she lived her life and to try to live closely with nature. 'A woman like the wind, never trapped in a net' is a nickname given to her by her friends after her travels to India. With her expanded and freer thoughts she commits herself wholeheartedly to the puppet play.

"I like children. They are like juries which are not yet influenced by the negativity of society. The puppet play is a venue in which to meet the children, through music and art. Therefore it is very interesting. However, even children's culture is touched by commercial considerations.

Most existing puppet plays promote virtue and reprove vice. The heroine does not creatively solve problems but a certain supernatural power directs the story. Oreum tries to help the children to understand and think about the world in which they are living through the puppet plays.

So far we have made "A secret of Hanul", which was to help children protect themselves against sexual violence, and "Jjang Ah's travel under water", which was made for the promotion of environmental conscious-ness.

Wherever we are invited to play we eagerly accept. I am very satisfied with my work and I am very happy with my choice. I am happy to continue to do the same work if I can earn a little money for my basic living costs."

One of her heartfelt wishes is to provide a children's cultural center in ten years time. She is somewhat naive in character, and she can comfort herself in a difficult situation. I hope and believe that she can achieve much good work with her simple nature. I made a call to Oreum in order to check some points. They were performing in Cheonan. I could feel that their strong and indiluted will for a beautiful world being absorbed in every corner of the country.

Unemployed Women's Association for Overcoming Unemployment, an autonomous organization to overcome unemployment as a core identity

The establishment of the Mutual Aid Women's Association for Overcoming Unemployment

The Equal Rights Counseling of Inchon Women Workers Association counseled 400 cases in the year of 1997. Most were regarding unpaid wages and unfair working conditions. The situation worsened entering into 1998. In March of 1998 alone, the center counseled 148 cases.

In order to manage the rapidly-increasing counseling workload, the "Women's Counseling Center for an End to Dismissals through Restructuring and for the Promotion of Employment" was set up. Since then, the counseling clients have increased to such a large extent that all the staff of the office have had to devote their time to the clients.

The unemployment problem is now threatening low-income women of 40 to 50 years old, who have consequently been suffering hardship. In particular the unemployment of women who are the sole breadwinners for their families is now in serious crisis. Compared to those experienced by male family heads, the problems faced by female family heads have not been paid serious attention by our society.

The Korea Women Workers Association United raised the issue of the importance of female family breadwinners, and the Seoul Broadcasting System put their message on air. Accompanied by the slogan "Let's help matriarchs!", a fund-raising scheme has been carried out.

The Korea Women Workers Associations United, the Seoul Broadcasting System, and the Korea Women's Association United have been working for a fund-raising performance with the theme "Helping and giving hope to unemployed matriarchs" as a joint programme on July 3. The funds raised will be used to assist matriarchal families.

A list of the women to be assisted was required. In Inchon, we had about three hundred clients and over sixty percent were family heads. We selected twenty women who were in the most serious situation. The women wrote letters and applications. In the process they had several meetings and more opportunities to meet with each other. In the meetings, we started with a physical exercise in order to relax their tired and tense bodies and conducted group counseling.

In group counseling, we held an open discussion with the theme "When I am most upset", and helped them to share their suffering, to comfort each other, and to look for ways to solve their problems. It was good that they were very open with each other. They talked, cried, laughed, and developed solidarity.

The meeting was very free, warm, and familiar. The experience with them inspired us to form a regular meeting for unemployed female family heads. The meeting was given the theme "alleviating the shock of dismissal and regaining determination". A monthly meeting of matriarchs has been launched.

On June 24, an opening ceremony for the "Action Center for Unemployed Women" was held to mark the beginning of activities for the unemployed. The registered unemployed women exceeded four hundred. Due to the increasing number of clients and their need for recruitment information, there have been demands for an autonomous organization of the unemployed in which they could work out countermeasure activities not merely as beneficiaries but as policy-makers and activists. Therefore we decided to establish the unemployed Women's Association.

On September 12, 1998, the Mutual Aid Women's Association held its opening ceremony. At the opening, about 100 members affiliated to the Association, a secretary general was elected, and an editor was appointed. The Association decided to publish a monthly newsletter, with the title 'Good Neighbors', and to share information through the newsletter.

The newsletter acts as a forum in which to invite other women to join. Afterwards, all the clients were introduced to the Association. Since then all clients have been encouraged to visit the office. On their visit, they can access more precise counseling in terms of the unemployment problems and other difficulties in daily life.

Meetings of the Association and the program of "Meetings to overcome unemployment" attracted 70 to 80 participants on average. On December 12, about 150 women took part in an end of year party. The membership has since increased.

A general assembly of the Unemployed Women's Association

In order to prepare for the general assembly, some active members of the Association were collected and formed a core group. The core group members underwent education and training on the problems of women workers in Korean society, the role of the Action Center for Women's Unemploy-ment, the role of the Mutual Aid Women's Association, etc.

Afterwards the core group became a preparatory committee for the Un-employed Women's Association and the committee worked together for the preparation of the general assembly.It has been too much work for the staff of the office to assist the members of the Unemployed Women's Association which total over four hundred. The participants of the monthly meeting and those who want to join the Mutual Aid Women's Association are always over a hundred, and it was impossible to provide counseling on their visits.

Therefore we decided to divide them in accordance with their residential areas. We appointed 25 regional leaders from those who have been very active in their membership commitments. The 25 leaders report their members' stories in the monthly meetings. They provide a network for members. There were two leadership training sessions.

Finally we held a general assembly on February 6 1999 in which we amended the constitution. The chair woman, vice-chairwoman, auditor, and publications editor were elected by members and the 25 regional leaders introduced themselves. Since the assembly, the monthly meeting of Women's Association is followed by the Unemployed regional leaders' meeting, the monthly meeting of an executive committee, which is composed of the Association leaders, two monthly meetings of the publication members, etc., provide the main structure for our activities.

On International Women's Day on March 8, about 30 member of the Association took part in the program and they contributed thoughts on the problems of unemployed women. In order to help the unemployed women of 40 to 50 years old, who make up, in fact, a large proportion of unemployed women, the executive committee members and regional leaders distributed 400 copies of job-wanted advertisementslast April.

Management of membership fees of the Unemployed Women's Association

At present the membership fee for the Association is W2,000, about US$1.6, and the amount so far collected is W2,234,000, about US$1,787.20. Some of the membership fees have been spent on expenses incurred sending congratulations and condolences.

When members and their family members have weddings, babies, funerals, reach 60 years old, are hospitalized, and so on, the executive committee decides the sum of the allowances. So far 9 members have received W380,000. The Mutual Aid Women's Association has played an assisting role to the members.

The formation of the Unemployed Women's Association

The Association holds monthly meetings in which new membership arrangements are made and recruitment information and counselings are provided. Each month has a useful program for unemployed women. They conducted a medical check in January, a general assembly in February, a community group programme in March, a program on female disease in April, a family picnic in May, and a seminar on unemployment policy in Inchon in June.

Future tasks of the Unemployed Women's Association

The Association now has its own autonomous formation independent of the Women Workers Association. The concrete responsibilities of the executive committee members, the active will of the regional leaders, and the affection of the members, who now regard the Association as their home, make up the biggest and most consolidated base of the Association.

The Association is now responsible for addressing problems of unemployment - overcoming the painful experiences of losing jobs, helping members recover their determination, and consolidating a female support community through active sharing and exchanges between the members.

Furthermore the Association will develop other activities that can also assist members attain self-development when the women workers union is established. The Association will autonomously set up its own future vision and strategy.

EQUAL RIGHTS COUNSELLING

From forcing the retirement of company couples to sexual abuse
- counselling cases by different type -

The subject matters of cases counseled by the Equal Rights Counseling from January to April are summarized in this column. The total number of enrolled counseling cases is 594. The majority of cases - totaling 295 - were related to employment.

211 cases (59.6%) were regarding unpaid wages, 62 cases (17.5%) dismissal, and 22 cases (6.2%) unfair treatment. Aside from these cases, there were 11 cases (3.1%) concerning gender discrimination, 25 cases (7.1%) sexual abuse in workplace, and 23 cases (6.5%) maternity protection and sick pay.

76.4 percent of visitors were married women. In terms of industrial sectors, 36.7% were from the manufacturing sector, 26.5% were official workers, 8.4% were from the sales sector, 16.3% from the service industry, 11.4% experts or technicians, and 0.6% from the administration sector. The percentages indicate that most cases prevailed from the manufacturing sector.

At present "Equal Rights Counseling" has established 8 branches (in Seoul, Puchon, Ansan, Inchon, Kwangju, Masan, North Cholla, and Pusan), with the central headqurters in Seoul Particularly in this year, the departments of the KCTU and the FKTU and Women's Link have jointly set up a counseling center to deal with issues of gender discriminative employment, indirect discrimination, and sexual abuse within the workplace, and the center has actively fulfilled counseling.

1. Cases of prior dismissal of women workers

• Pressurization of voluntarily retire-ment for company couples

  There is a company with 1,400 regular workers and 200 to 300 temporary workers. Due to budget reductions, negotiations were held between the company and workers union in order to set a frame for lay-offs. Workers were scored in every aspect; the number of days-off and vacations, punishments and awards, etc. In the case of company couples, if one of them resigned, the other would achieve a higher score, but if both of them refused to resign, both would get a minus score.

  As a result, 140 were dismissed. Excluding those in higher positions, 70% of the sacked workers were women. At that time, there were 33 couples in the company and most of the women in them were dismissed. 6 women tried to reject the order of retirement but finally had to resign. In the case of company couples, even if women were in higher positions, it was always the women who had to resign.

  A woman worker struggled for the survival of her job. The company gave her minus points in career qualification scores, and she was finally retrenched. Her case has been brought to a local labour committee and she is awaiting the result.

  - Equal Rights Counseling, KWWA -

  
  

  2. The absence of post-marital and maternity protection

• Aggravations of health caused by five weeks' maternity leave, being placed on stand-by, changes of workplace to the outdoors.

  She worked in a local monetary office for 10 years. She was given maternity leave for only 5 weeks and she was put on stand-by when she came back to her work. Then, her new work load entailed visiting open markets in a cold winter. Due to her new work, her health grew worse.

  Her former position had already been filled. In her office, the married women used to resigned after marriage and it was the first time maternity leave had been requested. It is obvious that the company is trying to corner her into accepting resignation.

  - Equal Rights Counseling, Inchon Women Workers Association -

• Forced to retire after notice of marriage

  She was working in a cultural center of a department store. She informed her superiors of her forthcoming marriage. Then, her manager forced her to retire. In another case, a dietitian was replaced by a temporary worker after her honeymoon trip. It is unfair. In fact, most of the customers are married women and this better qualifies married clerks for the job.

  There are more female clerks who will shortly get married, and if she gives up now, her junior colleagues will face the same process. She is daring to bring her case to court.

  - Equal Rights Counseling, Pusan Women's Association -

  
  

  3. Sexual abuse within the workplace

• Sexual abuse in an interview for a private bodyguard

  An interview was held for the position of a private bodyguard. The company wanted bodyguards for the wives of the company seniors. The president of the company interviewed the applicants. The president said that he would call after his observation of individuals.

  He estimated four or five months for his observation. She was called by the president. In the meeting, he made obscene comments and touched her hip. She was treated in a sexually-degrading manner. She left the meeting.

  - Equal Rights Counseling, Seoul Women Workers Association -

• Irresponsible attitude of the public officers on an appeal of sexual abuse in the workplace

  She was working in 'PC' on Sunday night when her senior manager grabbed her breast. She ran out of the place and has not written a resignation letter. She has worked there for only six months and is single. She wants the man to be dismissed. However, this may be impossible as the president of the company is his brother.

  She does not want to work in this company any more. If she cannot bring about his dismissal, she wants to put him to shame. She called up the labor supervisor of the local office of the Ministry of Labor. The supervisor there said that there was no need to fight if she was leaving the company.

  - Equal Rights Counseling, KWWAU-

• Open Forum on the evaluation of the Action Center for Unemployed Women on its anniversary and the proposal of counter-measure policies for unemployed women

  The KWWAU held an open forum on June 25 for the first anniversary of Action Center for Unemployed Women. In the forum the activities of the Action Center for Un-employed Women were evaluated and the countermeasure policies against women's unemployment were proposed.

  The Action Center for Unemployed Women has conducted counseling, education, countermeasure policy implementation, research and study, and provided medical and financial assistance for daily living, organization of unemployed women, vocational training, etc. in eight areas of the country.

  Through the evaluation of one year's activities, various opinions from every sector of society were collected for the proposal to the government. The forum opened with the presentation of Choi Soonim, Chief Manager of counseling in the KWWAU.

  The main participants in the discussions, chaired by Dr. Kim Taehong from the Korean Women's Development Institute, were Nam Insoon, Deputy Secretary General of the Korea Women Workers Association United, Lee Sunghee, an expert on women's policies from the National Congress for New Politics, and Kwon Bokki, Chief Manager of Business

  and Assistance of the Peoples' Foundation to Support Unemployment, shared ideas and opinions on self-development for overcoming female unemployment, future tasks and policy direction of women's organizations concerning the unemployment problem, and governmental policy concerning unemployed women.

  - KWWAU -

  
  
• A plan for an open forum with regard to the "employment situation and the way ahead for unorganized women workers"

  Since the IMF bailout, the situation for employed workers has deteriorated. In work-places which do not have a workers union, the situation is worse. It is assumed that their situation is really very bad considering the fact that the workplaces with no union are mostly small and medium size.

  The KWWAU decided to conduct a study on these kinds of workplaces. The 1,691 cases detailed in the collected questionnaires and 20 inter-views were studied. These cases concerned unorganized women workers. The results will be shared and discussed in the forum.

  - KWWAU -

• The 20th memorial ceremony for the patriot Kim Kyoungsook of YH

  On August 29, the KWWAU will hold a 20th memorial ceremony for the patriot Kim Kyoungsook of YH jointly with the YH Fellowship. Commemorating the struggle of YH, which provided a starting point from which to destroy the Yooshin dictatorship, and admiring the martyrdom of the patriot Kim Kyoungsook, the KWWAU has observed her memorial day every year in Moran Park where her grave is located.

  On this 20th anniversary of her death in particular, we will invite former women workers who were committed to the workers' movement and the workers who are currently active in pro-moting workers' rights.

  - KWWAU -

  
  
• Special night for unemployed women, the project on the establish-ment of 'familyhood' to help unem-ployed families

  Since May last year, the KWWAU has given W150,000 of aid to unemployed families every two months. The project has implemented many structural countermeasures on the unemployment problem and gives real and concrete help to unemployed women workers.

  The KWWAU also held a 'Special Night for Unemployed Women' on May 28 in the House of Working Women in Guro together with unemployed women, those who had participated in training programmes, the volunteer teachers of after-school classes, and female public laborers. There was an Oreum performance and some of the successful case-histories were shared.

  - Seoul Women Workers Association -

  
  
• The third "Preparatory Class to Find Work"

  The Association is now holding preparatory classes to assist in job-finding. It held an opening ceremony for the third class on April 19. There are classes for mending clothes, making clothes, literacy teachers who also help children to vocalize their responses to what they are reading, computer training for secretarial jobs, tele-marketing, etc. We teach four subjects for a period of three months. At the moment we have 130 students.

  - Ansan Women Workers Association -

• Spring Picnics in May for women head of household

  We held a picnic for female household heads and their children in Nakan folk village on May 30. Entering into the "month of home", May, the programme was directed at recovering courage and love and overcoming difficulties faced. About a hundred people participated in the picnic. We toured some historical places followed by a pleasant lunch.

  Then we had community games, writing letters to other family members, and sharing of the gifts of love. With the assistance of the Public Promotion, the participants were given delicious lunches and presents.

  - Kwangjoo Women Workers Association -

  
  
• A campaign to create jobs by the Unemployed Women's Association

  On April 14, the Action Center for Unemployed Women conducted a street campaign on the theme of "unemployed women looking for jobs", together with the members of the Women Workers Association and the Mutual Aid Women's Association.

  After the campaign, a good number of recruitment offers were made. However, most of the contractors were asking for long working hours, low payment, and for women under 35 years old.

  Most of the unemployed women members are in their 40s and 50s, and hence, the campaign did not yield much fruit. We were again strongly impressed by the difficulties faced by middle-aged women to find work.

  - Masan & Changwon Women Workers Association-

  
  
• Skill acquisition and other necessary training for women workers

  From April 6, working women were invited to night classes for telemarketing and training for teachers wishing to conduct classes on newpaper analysis and comprehension of important issues. The telemarketing class was taught for the first time and it received good feedback.

  On May 20, 31 students of telemarketing class held a graduation ceremony. 41 women are currently attending the newspaper comprehension class. The classes will end on July 20.

  - Puchon Women Workers Association -

  
  
• Short-term vocational training for unemployed women

  Vocational training for women family heads was the only governmental program for low-income unemployed female family heads. However, it was held only once due to problems of government budgeting.

  Therefore, the Association has begun to conduct the short term vocational training programme for the middle aged and low income women itself. The proposed training is for assistants capable of caring for patients, baby-sitting, and nursing after childbirth. The first training will be conducted with 25 women from July 1 - 31.

  - Puchon Women Workers Association -

  
  
• Group counselling for women head of household

  In order to provide a venue for unemployed women family heads to comfort each other and to help each other achieve the will to overcome the present situation, group counseling started from April. Three groups of ten women underwent group counselling for four weeks.

  In the first week life stories were shared, the second week focused on identifying good personal qualities, the third week on controlling anger, and the fourth week on planning for the future. All participants changed a lot through the group counseling. They became more optimistic and cheerful, which in turn cheered up the staff.

  - Inchon Women Workers Association -

  
  
• Job training program

  In March and April two classes were provided for unemployed women household heads. After deep consideration on the situation of unemployed women, the classes were conducted to introduce the principles of managing small businesses and training was given at a basic level and in accessible language.

  During the programme the partici-pants could share their information and promised they would contact each other if they came across job openings.

  -North Cholla Women Workers Association -

  
  
• The sixth street campaign for unemployed women

  The Association holds a street campaign every third Saturday. We have had six campaigns so far. About 50 unemployed women participate in the campaigns. Usually songs are sung with changed words, a performance is put on, three minutes speeches are given, etc.

  It normally lasts one-and-a-half hours. Evaluating the six street campaigns, we have reflected that we should be more sensitive about the problem of women unemployment. On the first anniversary of the Action Center for Unemployed Women, the Association reflected on how much the demands of women workers have been realized.

  We came to the conclusion that we should pay more attention to the demands of unemployed women and should provide more concrete and practical countermeasure activities for them.

  - Pusan Women's Association -

  
  
• The struggle for reinstatement in Pusan Country Club

  Last May, 21 caddies working for the Pusan Country Club were dismissed. The club dismissed many women citing reasons of old age and marital status. On May 16, the Women Workers Trade Union (currently being established) and the Pusan Women's Workers Association launched a protest rally in front of the Pusan Country Club together with the dismissed caddies demanding reinstatement and condemning sexual abuse within the workplace.

  Directly after the rally, the situation was evaluated and a solidarity struggle was determined upon.

  - Pusan Women's Workers Association -

  
  
• The fourth Women's Week ceremony - a campaign for the prohibition of sexual abuse within the workplace

  The KWWAU will conduct a "campaign for the prohibition of sexual abuse within the workplace" in eight areas across the country as a project of the fourth Women's Week from July 1 to July 7. The campaign events will be held twice in every area.

  The campaign will help women to recognize sexual abuse and take proper countermeasure actions. The campaign will also emphasize the responsibility of employers. We will spread awareness of the sexual abuse en masse.

  Particularly in small workplaces and work-places with large concentrations of women such as restaurants and boarding houses, it has almost been impossible to conduct education programmes related to this issue. Therefore we are hoping to increase awareness through street promotions.

  - KWWAU -

VOICES FROM THE WORKPLACE

Under the current economic crisis, women workers are experiencing severe job insecurity and unemployment. Cases of hardships at the grassroots level are increasing. This article describes some of women workers' struggles against unfair labor practices such as illegal retrenchment and withheld back wages.

We'll fight in strong unity until we win!

by Lee, Myong-sook
(dismissed woman worker of Shin Han Industrial Co.)

Shin Han Industrial Co. is located in industrial complex 1 of the Masan Export Processing Zone (EPZ). About a year ago, the company nearly went bankrupt; however, the company's accumulated losses for several years have been resolved.

The company's recovery is partly due to the differences in currency exchange rates, but it is mainly due to our workers' full efforts. However, the company suddenly retrenched 26 out of 271 workers under the excuse that they had received fewer orders late last year. The number of retrenched workers is just below 10%, the minimum percentage at which companies should report its retrenchment activities to the Ministry of Labor. This is the first case of an official lay-off in the EPZ.

Shin Han Industrial Co. has a ratio of 3 male to 7 female workers. Many of the females are married women workers. The age distribution of workers from their 20s to their 40s is relatively even, and the company has a higher number of workers in their middle ages in comparison to other companies. Furthermore, because its trade union is co-opted, workers who carry out union activities and/or who raise questions to the company, often experience severe suppression by the company.

Under this context, the company has created insecurity by threatening workers with dismissals. Since April 1998, the company has forced workers to work overtime with heavy workloads. The company implied that older workers would be targeted for retrenchment, simply stating "the company has to lay off old workers." The company also oppressed workers who are actively involved in the union.

Workers at managerial levels and co-opted union representatives suppressed union members, thus many union members were removed. The union president sat back and did nothing for the union members as they experienced such serious oppression.

Although we know that the law regarding retrenchments was implemented, workers thought the company would not dare retrench workers because its business was doing very well. However, the company announced that it was temporarily closing down because of a decreasing number of orders since September last year. For three months the company stopped working on Saturdays.

On December 1, management suddenly informed individual workers of a list of those expected to be laid-off. The company laid off 26 workers who were "old" and/or involved in strong union activities, stating "it's okay not to come to work beginning tomorrow."

We, laid-off workers, were so shocked and at a loss, but we started fighting against the company to demand the withdrawal of the unfair retrenchment. The company told outright lies. The company stopped us from entering the workplace, treated us inhumanely and used false propaganda against us to separate us from our co-workers.

We started campaigning against the company's unfair practices at the front gate of the EPZ and asked other workers to support us. As news of our case started spreading to the local community, the company tried to tempt us to resign by offering a conditional one month wage to each of us. Since the company made use of our privacies and shortcomings, 13 workers eventually submitted their resignations to the company within the fixed deadline.

The company also punitively dismissed an additional three workers under the pretext of having false work experience. The company attempted to destroy our struggles against the unfair dismissals. Since January 1999, news of our struggles has spread to the entire local community.

We carried out daily struggles at work and sued the company at the local office of Ministry of Labor for the unfair dismissal and unfair labor practices.

The co-opted trade union which agreed with our unfair dismissals, and FKTU, its umbrella trade union have not given us any help. They are really yellow trade unions and are not genuinely concerned for workers.

We actively campaigned publicly and organized rallies in solidarity with KCTU and other local workers who agree with our resistance against lay-offs and our call for job security for workers. However, we have experienced much difficulty because we do not have an operating democratic trade union in the workplace, we do not work and we are separated from our co-workers.

We have continued waging struggles. The Masan & Changwon Women Workers Association (MCWWA) has given us their heartfelt and strong support and concern. For the last three months, we have used their office like our own homes in order to wage our struggle. We sometimes think, "what should happen if we, dismissed workers did not have an organization like this in our community?"

Now, 10 women workers, mostly married women, continue struggling. We are confident that we will finally obtain our basic rights to sustain our livelihoods and to keep our jobs, when our efforts and struggles become united. Since the local community is well aware of the company's unfair dismissals, other firms which have prepared to implement unfair dismissals and labor practices to lay off workers in the EPZ have stopped their plans.

We see this as an achievement of our struggle. Our struggle will be a shield for preventing workers from being laid off and for preventing unfair dismissals. Now, although we face serious difficulties in trying to sustain our livelihoods and pay our children's educational fees, we know we have any choice but to continue our struggles.

Our difficult situation is reflected by the reality that among 26 workers, whether they join this struggle or not no one has found a job so far. The Ministry of Labor defends the company's side by explaining that the company's actions are not illegal.

The government established a policy that unfair dismissals should be investigated very carefully and banned, but local offices do not listen to workers, and simply go hand in the company. We are going to make an appeal to the local labor committee. But, we worry about how well the local labor committee will represent us.

However, it often just looks at the fake documents handed over by the company. We will do our best to fight against these unfair lay-offs. We understand that we face many difficulties in our struggle, because we are not just fighting against one individual, one company, nor one political party, but because we are struggling against the social systems of money, power and law.

However, we have never made such claims before to those who are powerful. Now, we realize how relieved we, who have been oppressed, are when we speak out strongly against the rich and powerful.

I firmly believe we will win if we struggle until very end, because our struggle is about our sustainability and justice. We struggle in great unity like daughters and mothers, and between sisters. We fight with deep care for one another. We carry out our difficult daily activities, looking forward to the day when we will be able to return to our jobs.

Women workers, the first victim of lay-offs in the public sector

By Cho, Kwi-Jeh
(Head of the Women's department, Korean Federation of Public and Social Service Workers)

I am the head of the women's department at the Korean Federation of Public and Social Service Workers (KFPSSW). Most of the unions whose companies are run partly or 100% by the government, or financed by public funds (such as Public Culture Funds and Athletic Funds), are affiliated with our industrial trade union.

Thus, the government orders the dismissal of workers in companies, the reduction of wages and is responsible for the subsequent deterioration of working conditions.

Despite strong resistance from the labor movement, the government passed a retrenchment-related law. Under the law, lay-offs can be carried out despite all of our efforts. However, in the last year, one-sided lay-offs were undertaken without any agreement between labor and management in the public sector, especially in public corporations.

The so-called "honourable retirements" and "voluntary retirements" are nominal. Instead, jobs are forced to be restructured. Among the cases of forced restructuring, women workers' jobs are most seriously threatened for women face forced voluntary retirement and the closure of women concentrated departments, under the pretext that their partners also work in the same companies.

n mid-November of last year, I received a call from a head of the women's department at KCTU. She informed me that four (4) female union members (one nurse and three females in skilled and technical occupations) in the Seoul Olympic Sports Promotion Foundation(SOSPF) whose union is affiliated with us, were forced to retire voluntarily. But, they resisted the suppression.

The company ordered them to leave their post and wait for further actions. They have been relocated to a remote place with no window. These women workers were promoted from the fifth rank to the fourth category because their abilities were recognized by the company. Although their capabilities are as high as male workers, they were forced to resign because they are women.

The company established a policy that it would retrench them in December if they do not agree with voluntary retirement by late November. The workers do not agree with the demand from the company which forces the women workers to voluntarily retire,for it attempts to retrench them without making any efforts to avoid their dismissals.

The problem is that the company has not put any effort into evading their retirement. It simply assigns women workers to the forced retired workers' list without negotiating with workers, which is in accordance with the government's (Planning and Budgeting Committee) guideline for personnel restructuring. A bigger problem is that co-workers look down upon women workers who resist.

It is more difficult for them to wage their struggles under a situation in which their co-workers think they should be retired rather than male workers who are assumed to be primary householders. Even union executives agree with the logic that "opposition to forced voluntary retirement" is not worth fighting for and thus, do not attempt to organize a struggle on the women workers' behalf.

However, women union members eagerly support them by claiming, "we cannot accept the dismissals simply because they are women. Let's fight together even though they may be fired." Women workers consulted a labor lawyer visiting the chairperson of company, and demanded him to talk to them.

They also visited the Women's Special Committee directly under the president, in order to make their appeals. However, no changes have been made.

The closer the deadline appeared, the more anxious they became. Eventually, they remembered the words of "Kwon Young-gil" and "KCTU". Hence, they called the women's bureau of KCTU which informed us of their situation. Our industry union persuaded the local union to clearly oppose the company's lay-offs without negotiation with the union and to support the struggles of the women workers.

However, the women workers were only temporarily laid off because the authorities of the company agreed to reinstate women workers on April 1, 1999 and the others by the first half of this year.

Next, I would like to introduce the case of the Daejon Atomic Power Research Institute in which five female workers whose partners work in the same workplace were dismissed. In this case, before our industrial union could intervene, women workers submitted their resignations due to severe suppression by the company within two days.

The company reached an agreement regarding voluntary retirement with its union late last year. But, on December 29, 1998, the company threatened five (5) women workers whose partners also work in the workplace with voluntary retirement by letter. The letter said that if they expressed reluctance to be retired, their husbands would be disadvantaged in their job promotions.

Thus, some of them filed formal paper divorces to avoid being dismissed. On December 31, they submitted voluntary retirement notices to the company in order not to disadvantage their husbands. Three of them are researchers and two are engaged in administration work, who did not ask for an appeal because of their husbands.

In addition, illegal and unfair dismissals of women workers working in public corps. are taking place frequently. For example, the Korean Federation of Small Businesses (KFSB) removed women workers with high school degrees (who mainly do typing and clerical assistance work).

However, the company started employing contractual workers just after management mentioned that these occupations were not needed. Also, as many as 80% of about 400 dismissed workers listed by the Seh-jin Computerland Co. are female workers.

Women are half of the world, but our society does not see women as independent human beings. Even in regards to employment, women are discriminated: women are employed as contractual workers while men work as regular workers.

In the case of women workers whose partners work in the same workplaces, they are largely targeted for lay-offs. Women workers should stand up to fight against social practices that assume women should take secondary roles, and that women should go back to the home.

Like the above case of SOSPF, women workers should fight against the presumption that "Women should leave their jobs, even when unions ignore women workers because they are 'just women.'"

This year, many women workers who are union members have experienced the second round of retrenchment such as the adaptation of a yearly wage system, wage reduction, and decreases in social security for workers. We, women workers should fight for achieving job security and maintaining our basic rights to sustain our livelihood.

Using the Logic of the 'Struggle of the Fittest'
to Lay off Women Workers at lower levels
- Korea Tourism Research Institute

by Kang-ock Lee and Sook Kim
(dismissed women workers)

We are illegally-dismissed female workers, although we have worked hard since the establishment of the Korea Tourism Research Institute. We are currently waiting for the result of our appeals to the Ministry of Labor and Women's Special Committee (the latter has transferred our appeal to the former because it did not regard our case as illegal).

The Deptartment of Culture and Tourism opened the Korea Tourism Research Institute to suggest effective policies related to tourism with the support of the "Tourism Promotion & Development Fund." In late August, the Planning and Budgeting Committee ordered a "personnel reduction at higher levels, the maintenance of 25 staff members, 20% reduction in labor costs including ordinary expenditures, and those necessary for the operation of the minimum structure of the company."

The institute attempted to restructure lower levels workers without any form of negotiation with workers. Women workers segregated in technical occupations, were the main targets of restructuring. As a result, six (6) technical women workers were dismissed.

The following issues outline aspects of the unfair lay-off process: First, lay-offs should be legal on the grounds of urgent managerial reasons. The government's Planning and Budgeting Committee ordered the company to reduce the total number of workers from 28 to 25 workers. But, the company retrenched an additional four

(4)women workers to bring the total number of existing workers to 21. However, the company also increased the salaries of the remaining personnel, which blurrs the actual intent of restructuring. In addition, because the labor power of the six(6) laid off workers is necessary, the company transferred three(3) workers to a monthly contractual working basis, which is much more insecure employment.

Second, the company should make all efforts to evade dismissals before dismissals take place. However, the company did not make any efforts to do so. They did not stop new-comers from being employed nor did they reduce the salaries of board members.

Even though the company claims that four (4) workers will be recruited to maintain its total number of workers after the dismissals of the six(6) workers, it is difficult to recruit four workers according to its budget for personnel in 1999. The company did not provide any choice for workers to select their status because it did not follow appropriate procedures for voluntary retirement.

Third, the company should select those workers who will be dismissed according to a due and reasonable process. The restructuring did not target all workers, and it is discriminatory in regard to the selection process. In spite of the same technical position, a chauffeur and a secretary were arbitrarily excluded in the name of "their special technical occupations".

Fourth, the company should undertake sincere negotiations with unions or workers before dismissals take place. The Management-and-Labor Committee was already set up in the company, but the committee made a one-side decision regarding their dismissals on November 30, 1999 without any adequate negotiation. In the committee the workers' side mainly consists of researchers and senior officers in the top level, so the committee has no person to represent workers at lower levels.

When we, dismissed workers raised the issue of inadequate negotiation procedure, the company evaded its responsibility claiming that this is an issue amongst workers, since it already adequately negotiation with workers.

In the process associated with the above lay-offs, women workers at low levels are largely disadvantaged without proper negotiation under the pretext of the social atmosphere of the economic crisis. After the submission, the institute claims "We will choose being fined even if the company decides to commit 'unfair dismissals'.

The company will never allow you to return to your jobs. We will stop your reinstatements" which disappointed and shocked us. Amongst the six(6) dismissed women workers of us, at the initial stage three made appeals, but one was later cancelled. Presently, only two of us have been waiting for results.

The other four(4) dismissed workers are disappointed and have complained to the company, but they feel afraid of their unemployment if they are not able to make their three-month contracts. A worker is not uncomfortable because she is employed by personal contact.

One of them does not understand the real meaning of her dismissal. They are also under a variety of carrots and sticks.The reason why we made an appeal is that we wish to be treated fairly and objectively. However, the Women's Special Committee ignores us, and it only listens to the side of management.

This shows their unfair and discriminatory attitude. It views our case as a problem of management innovation. The Ministry of Labor also sees our case as an issue between management and labor rather than between individuals and the institute, so that the ministry's foremost concern lies with the institute rather with workers, despite the clearly unfair nature of the dismissals.

This reflects discriminatory status of women workers' employment in society. Presently, under the pretext of improving national competitiveness and facilitating economic recovery, Korea is under restructuring.

However, restructuring is undertaken by the logic of struggle of the fittest without any adequate concerns for workers. As a consequence, workers who are relatively weak are disadvantaged and become unemployed. I n this process, women worker-concentrated departments are usually targeted. Hence, although our dismissals can be viewed as personal issues, we will struggle against the discriminatory labor practice until the very end.

"What's worse is that unemployed women are dismissed and cheated, as well...."

- Complaints of female job-seekers registered with the Action Center for Women's Unemployment

This section will look at trends in women's unemployment and provide information on employment cases of cheating and victimizing female job-seekers, through a variety of activities and statistics regarding job counseling undertaken by the Action Center for Women's Unemployment (ACWU).

Last February 18, when most newspapers said "the number of unemployed people had reached nearly two million," I felt that the Korean unemployment rate would skyrocket to over 9% in the very near future. The Ministry of Labor expects an additional 0.3 million workers to become unemployed this year due to the rapid increase in the number of those who want to enter the labor market for the first time.

However, a higher percentage of unemployed women would be reflected in official statistics (5.6% in November, 1998) if the number of disappointed unemployed people was added.

Counselees, mostly married women with less than a high school degree education

Last year, a total number of 4,192 women excluding cases by telephone and re-counselling cases received counseling by ACWU. Among them, married women made up 74.26% (with 3,113 cases) of the cases. Also, women over the age of 35 constituted 61.4% (with 2,576 cases). Those with less than a high school diploma accounted for 62.28% (with 2,611 cases).

So, married women over the age of 35 with less than a high school diploma constituted the great majority of job seekers. This shows that women are the first targets of lay-offs due to bankruptcies and restructuring, and reflects the difficulty that women face finding jobs without adequate skills and training, although they try to enter the labor market because their husbands are unemployed.

Various reasons are given when women are laid off from their jobs. Women workers are usually dismissed under the excuses that "you aren't householders," "this department can be operated on an hourly basis," and "cheap labor can easily be found because of a large pool of unemployed people." Moreover, mass media exaggerates the severity of the number of male unemployed homeless persons staying at Seoul Station.

I cannot find any article about women who try to keep their families together even under the current severe economic crisis. In addition, women have to endure the anguish and pain in their families by themselves since their husbands are unemployed.

What is worse, it is useless for women to look for jobs when they face such discriminatory attitudes such as "Why you are looking for a job? Even men have difficulties finding jobs in this situation." The jobs that women manage to find largely have terrible working conditions with long working hours and back wages.

K(42 years old) living in Kuro appealed to us saying, "I worked in an electronic firm for 5 years. I was unemployed as a result of the companies bankruptcy. I couldn't find a job because I am old and don't have any special skill. I found a job in a farm cultivating spinach.

They tried to make me work very hard. They didn't even give me time to go to the toilet. My back ached so badly that I could not continue working there. I stopped working after two days. I went back there several times because they didn't pay me my wages.

They threatened me with the knife usually used for trimming spinach. I gave up in my efforts to be paid." After that, she worked in several canteens and restaurants, but most of them did not pay her. This shows that women workers confront incredibly harsh hardships.

Extremely heavy workloads:
Earn your day payment yourself

Many think that unmarried women are in better situations compared to married women. However, those older than 27 years old also have great difficulties. Employers arbitrarily define those women as getting married soon. They are discriminated against in terms of their age, as employers assume that women will resign after they marry.

A(28 years old) living in Songbuk-ku worked as a bookkeeper, but the company was closed because of its bankruptcy. She often received rejections at initial stages of job interviews because she is considered "old." Whenever she was interviewed with firms which do not have set age limits, the first question is usually, "When will you get married?" She is upset because she wants to continue working regardless of whether she marries or not.

you aren't welcome!

In addition, only ordinary clerical occupations are available to unmarried women who are new graduates from universities or colleges regardless of their majors. However, it is very difficult for them to find jobs if they cannot use a computer. The competition is extremely high.

Whether they are married or not, female job-seekers want to continue working in a secure job environment. However, employers want to employ young unmarried female cheap labor who can work on a dispatched and temporary basis and possess a variety of abilities.

Sales jobs where salaries depend on the amount sold, and simple and routine jobs such as cleaners and assis- tants in canteens and restaurants are largely available to married women. In the current situation where the number of job seekers far outnumbers job demand, there is an increasing number of cases of female job seekers who desperately look for jobs but who are usually deceived.

Therefore, on February 18, 1999 the Ministry of Labor announced that employers who recruit workers falsely shall be imprisoned for 5 years or be fined 20 million Won according to the Korean Occupation Security Law.

B (32 years old), a housewife living in Keumchon-ku dislikes sales jobs very much. When she inquired about a job advertised in a community newspaper and was reassured that it was definitely not related to sales, she went to the firm for a job interview.

On the first day, she received an orientation on education for babies and children, but on the second day, the orientation consisted of how to sell textbooks, so she left.

O (30 years old) majored in art education. She began working at a firm producing textbooks for babies and children. Her job is related to textbook publication, but she was not paid because although she colored textbooks, she did not sell any. S (25 years old), an unmarried woman living in Kuro, was employed in a publishing firm under the condition that she would be promoted to a managerial level in the office after her sales work.

However, after three months under the excuse that "you are very good at sales" the company demanded that she continue working sales, so she resigned from the job. After that, the company threatened to charge her compensation if some goods that she sold were returned.

Most job advertisements are false and many
private temporary agencies just take money
from job seekers.

P (42 years old), a female householder living in Wolkyeh-dong saw a job advertisement about a private temporary agency employing primarily female householders, so she sent her resume. Because she was not contacted for two months after the job opening, she called the agency.

They said that she had to buy containers for reserving and selling vegetables at prices between 8 and 10 million Won. Eventually, she gave up her application for the job.

Q (30 years old) living in the Samyang-dong visited a private temporary agency which places tele-marketing jobs. She worked for a month because they said that they would pay some fringe benefits in addition to the 0.5 million Won basic monthly wage.

But her actual basic monthly wage was 0.3 million Won. So, she found another job providing weekly wages. However, this company often withholds her wages. When she heard from a supervisor that the company was moving out, she resigned from the company.

But, later she found that the company filed that she resigned from the job because she made a false statement. So far, she has not been paid back wages amounting to 0.19 million Won.

She was told that T Trading in Kangnam was looking for a nurse who can give health consultations to patients with diabetes. They told her that sales are handled by others, but the company demanded her to perform sales shouting "how can in the world you think to be paid without doing any sales?"

E (49 years old) living in Kumchon-ku had to stop working as an assistant in a restaurant due to its closure. She paid out 50,000 Won as commission to a paid temporary agency in Karibong-dong and she worked at construction sites.

Jobs were supposed to be placed twice a week by the agency. But, one day, she had to return because it despatched 4 workers rather than the 2 workers actually required by the construction company. The agency just made up the numbers.

In particular, middle-aged women usually worked for domestic help work through paid temporary agencies which require an extra 25,000 Won to be paid in addition to the 50,000 Won basic fee to receive job placement twice a week. However, they have to pay grudgingly because of the shortage of labor demand in the market.

Careful consideration is needed.

There has been an increase in the number of job seekers who are victimized and cheated. Among the many various job advertisements publicized, many falsely advertise very different working conditions. So careful consideration is required.

Compared to other jobs, women must think first if the company is registered. They also have to consider many aspects such as if offered wages are reasonable compared to other jobs, if regular payments are made, if continuous employment is guaranteed and additional commission is needed for job registration,

when you try to apply for jobs through advertisements. The authorities should strengthen their executive powers and take pro-active steps on behalf of job seekers, in order to prevent them from being victimized any more.