Korean Women Workers Association

[No.2] KWWA's Activity Plans & Major Tasks in 2008

KWWA — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:20:21 +0900

Let’s Make our Good Demands to Presidential Candidates’


	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>>

[Hotline for Equality] Analysis of 2007's statistics on counseling

KWWA — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:57:06 +0900

[Hotline for Equality] Analysis of 2007's statistics on counseling

Irregular workers experience more dismissals related to pregnancy and child delivery than regular workers in terms of gender discrimination counseling

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

by KimShin Hae-jung (KWWA staff member)

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.

■ 62.3% are working condition related counseling, which is somewhat increased compared to those in 2006

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.

<Figure 1:> Changes in counseling for these 3 years

■ Fewer irregular workers received maternity leave related counseling relative to regular workers

In terms of maternity leaves, regular workers accounted for 71.5% (158 cases), and irregular workers 28.5% (63 cases). Compared to the percent (21.9%) in 2006 there was an increase by 6.6% in the number of irregular workers. However, relative to regular workers, the percentage of irregular workers were very low, which shows the amended Maternity Protection Enactment does not well cover irregular workers who account for 70% out of the total number of women workers. In this regard, practical and feasible maternity protection related measures for irregular workers are needed.

Regular workers have a higher number of maternity leave and child care leave related counseling compared to irregular workers, but irregular workers received 3.6% higher counseling regarding others than regular workers. Basic maternity protection related counseling such as compensations for mansturation leave was discussed, which means women irregular workers work in poorer working conditions.

(Table) Distribution of maternity protection by employment type

Maternity Protection

Total

Maternity leave

Child care leave

Others

2007

Regular workers

(%)

(57.0)

70.9

(29.1)

75.4

(13.9)

66.7

158

(100.0)

71.5

Irregular Workers

(%)

(58.7)

29.1

(23.8)

24.6

(17.5)

33.3

(100.0)

28.5

Total

127

100.0

221

100.0

■ 59.2%, Dismissal and disadvantage due to pregnancy and child delivery out of gender discrimination related counseling

Gender discrimination accounts for 7.0% (164 cases) out of the total counseling. In details, pregnancy and child delivery related gender discrimination was quite high, which accounted for 59.2% (34.8% pregnancy and child delivery related dismissal, and 24.4% disadvantages related to pregnancy and child delivery). pregnancy and child delivery related gender discrimination in 2007 rose by 16.7% relative to that in 2006, which shows pregnancy and child delivery have still affected women workers.

(Diagram) Distribution of gender discrimination related counseling

■ 81.3% high sexual harassment by seniors and bosses in workplace

increasing sexual harassment by business acquaintances and customers

11.1% (261 cases) out of the total counselees experience sexual harassment in the workplace. Women workers in their 20s accounted for 61.2% and women working less than 1 year 55.2%, and unmarried women workers 68.5%. This shows counseling regarding sexual harassment in workplace is usually undertaken by unmarried women in their 20s working less than one year.

<Table > Distribution of sexual harassment in workplace by characteristics between 2005~2007

Items	2005	2006	2007
No. of counseling (%)	269 (9.2)	357 (13.3)	261 (11.1)
Less than 20~30 years old (%)	118 (55.4)	131 (48.9)	123 (61.2)
Working less than one year (%)	105 (45.9)	139 (48.4)	116 (55.2)
Unmarried (%)	152 (64.4)	197 (62.5)	148 (68.5)

In the case of offenders of sexual harassment by type, seniors accounted for 41.2%, bosses 40.1%, coworkers 9.3% and others 9.3%. Out of the total offenders, 81.3% sexual harassment occur by seniors and bosses, which shows sexual harassment violates women workers' rights to work making use of position hierarchies in workplace.

Related to that in 2006, it is characteristic that sexual harassment was decreased by seniors but that sexual harassment by bosses was largely increased from 30.5% in 2006 to 40.1% in 2007, and that by coworkers was somewhat decreased to 9.3% in 2007. Other offenders were mainly business acquaintances and customers.

Because work environments has changed a lot, there have been increases in the number of subcontracted and dispatched workers, and so sexual harassment occurs not only in the companies with which women workers made contracts, but also by the third persons such as mother companies and related companies, and customers. In particular, one out of 3 women workers were employed in sales and service sector. Work environments of women workers have changed. Women workers are put in the blind spot of sexual harassment in workplace, if but the relation of employment is considered not actual task relation. Therefore, sexual harassment by the third persons such as acquaintances and customers should be regulated.

[letter from childcare worker] I learned a lot from disabled children

KWWA — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:51:26 +0900

[Hope Center to Abolish Poverty and Increase the Rights of Women Workers]

I learned a lot from disabled children

Im Okkyung (childcare worker belonging to Ansan Women Workers' Association)

In this February chilly wind made me cold. Because I am over 50 years old with low educational background, it was not easy for me to find a job. The job of child care worker suits me, and I feel it's meaningful and I am happy. However, as in this late February I had to finalize the childcare work, I felt sorry and concerned for the children that I was looking after.

Since the last March I as a child care worker for a single parent family had looked after 13 year mentally retarded girl and had taken her from home to school and brought her back to home.

Between March and July, I had to take her from home to school and bring her back to home, but she had an operation on her legs so I had to take care of her in hospital. This girl cannot say any word except "mommy." She had to wear hygiene napkins for a baby all the time or I have to take her to toilet every 2~3 hours. Because her legs were bent, she often tumbled when she walked. Therefore, someone had to hold her all the time. That's why she had an operation on her left leg to straighten hers in the last summer vacation and on right left in the last winter vacation. After the long and difficult operations, she had to have some 30 cm long and heavy pins put and stuck and she was in hospital for 3 months without walking.

Her mother is a divorced breadwinner and has a lot of hardship taking care of child by herself. The kid needs someone to be beside her because she cannot do anything by herself. I was able to talk with her with eyes. I was able to assume what she wants because I was with her for one year. Sometimes I feel it's so tough that I wanted to quit this job, however they need me, so I was able to stand that.

Even though the girl can express herself only 10% and although she can't achieve what she wants, she is patient. I have learned from her. Although I am in difficulty, I know mine is very small and my complaints are just luxury compared to her and her mother.

Her mother has gone through double hardships. She has to earn money because of medical fees including operation expenses and has to take care of her daughter. When the child sleeps at night she asks her nephews or those who take care of other patients near her daughter and goes to work over night. She come back home in the morning but when I take care of the kid, she is also so sick that she has to go to hospital and do housework. After taking care of some tedious but important things, she has to change her job with me and look after the girl, and so it is very tiring. For the last one year the mother often said this project for single parent families is so helpful, but she doesn't know how to do in future. Her relatives usually mention that her kid should be put in a center, but it is very difficult to put her free of charge. Because of her daughter she doesn't want someone in difficulty. That's why she wants to carry that burden by herself. In addition, because the daughter is disabled she was discarded by her husband, now it becomes her goal and meaning of her life to take good care of the kid. That's why I guess she stands this so well.

At the hospital, people wonder about me. They know I am not her relative or employed. I explain to them that the project for single parent families can be available in Ansan. They wonder if they are eligible for the service although the project is not implemented the cities where they live. They want to move to Ansan, but I can't dare to say the service would be terminated this year.

As a childcare worker I feel my job is meaningful because I can help those in difficulties. Moreover, I feel it's really nice that we can share and exchange together, and women householders are so strong that they can swim the sea of troubles hard. In addition, prejudice against disabled people is overcome and hugged with love, and I realize there is much deeper love.

In the end, I am very thankful to Ansan Women Workers' Association staff members for trying to provide me happy job environments. Although this project is terminated, I believe you, Ansan Women Workers' Association, will light the hopes in the darkness of Ansan with other projects. Thank you!

[letter from a single parent ]I have hopes now!

KWWA — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:44:01 +0900

[Hope Center to Abolish Poverty and Increase the Rights of Women Workers]

I have hopes now!

Dear Seoul Women Workers' Association

I was compelled to get divorced and I have looked after a 2 year daughter by myself, but I have to go to work because of economic difficulties. I put my kid in a child care center before going to work and took her back after work. As she is so young that she cannot be accustomed to a new circumstance, and so she seemed to cry a lot. That's because her eyes were swollen. I haven't seen her eyes were swollen like that much. Additionally, her voice also became hoarse.

I was so in pain feeling guilty. That's why I tried to work as a part-timer, however, it is not easy to change and payrolls for part-timers were so poor that they are enough just for transportation fees.

However, I can't put my kids in hardship, and so I used my credit cards quite often for private tutoring, cost of living, medical costs and so on. That's why my debts were increasing, and the tuition fee for child care center was quite high, and most of all, medical costs were incredibly high. I felt why life was so tough and wondered why I had to experience the hardships.

I cried a lot, but I always thought of my kid's bright and innocent look. I usually say to myself that I should be brave and powerful when I look at my daughter sleeping beside me. I often say to myself that I shouldn't disappoint her. I would be a beautiful and helpful mother for my innocent kid.

One day, when I was looking at a community information leaflet, I found an advertisement that Seoul Women Workers' Association can support free domestic or child care workers for single parents families. At the first time I felt it's not true. However, when it was true I was so happy. Anyway, I have decided to utilize the chance to upgrade my quality of life.

However, I was so concerned about if child care service worker might visit me. As I am not good at housekeeping jobs, I asked for a domestic helper at the first time. She was hard working and passionate, but with time I needed a child care worker more. I hope the house caretaker was able to help me, but she had to continue to care for her old customer first, and so I had to choose another helper. She is so nice and qualified that she is able to understand mothers and children. She has only two sons, so she said she wants to work for a home where a daughter is raised. She treated my kid like her daughter.

She took care of my kid like her family. For example, she went to library with my kid, played with my daughter on the playground, and took a walk with her, which I couldn't do for her. She even prepared birthday for my daughter, and she is very nice, and so my kid liked her very much, calling her "auntie".

In addition, Seoul Women Workers' Association arranged us to go to have a fun with my families. We (single parents) went to Namee islet in the summer, and to sleigh ride in the winter. We couldn't manage to go to trip if only we had to organize it by ourselves. The NGO prepared lots of refreshments and foods for us, so we didn't need to become concerned about that.

I haven't been to Namee islet before, and I couldn't go to enjoy sleigh rides. I had a real fun. During the last one year when the child care worker visited my home, I can learn several things and paid off all the debts. Now I can carve some hopes in my heart.

Thank you for everyone who helped me. I can water my hopes.

Best regards,

Park Eun-young (a single parent belonging to SWWA)

Single parent families, fly high with the wings of hope!

KWWA — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:39:56 +0900

[Hope Center to Abolish Poverty and Increase the Rights of Women Workers]

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

by Jung Moon-ja, vice chairperson of KWWA

Preparing better job conditions for women single parent families

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.

98% happy with the quality of services

A satisfaction survey showed the care service was a substantial support for single parents families.

․ Survey conducted between November 5th and 17th, 2007.
․ Targets: 164 women single parents families in the 5 regions who received the care services.
․ Satisfaction level : 98.2% were satisfied with the services.

* Changes after receiving the care service

In what fields	Questions	Answers (total participants: 164)
․ Economic sides	① I can find a job (including self employers)	52 persons (31.7%)
	② I can receive job training.	26 persons (15.9%)
	③ I can save costs for child care, academies and nursery.	79 persons (48.2%)
	④ I can save cost for caring disabled children.	13 persons (7.9%)
․ Emotional sides	① I feel better because my children can be taken care of safely.	99 persons (60.4%)
	② I can spend a spare time.	127 persons (77.4%)
	③ I am more confident because I can talk with others and so become more open minded.	48 persons (29.3%)
	④ I am happy because my home is cleaner.	100 persons (61.0%)
․ Changes in family relations	① My kids have better personality (and are emotionally stable).	93 persons (56.3%)
	② My kids have better scores.	39 persons (20.1%)
	③ My kids can manage their homework and materials needed at school by themselves.	44 persons (26.8%)
	④ My kids and patients are more hygienical.	53 persons (32.3%)
	⑤ foods and refreshments for my kids and patients can be solved.	77 persons (47.0%)
	⑥ Patients become better in a case that you are a care worker.	4 persons (2.4%)
․ Human relations	① I feel better because I can meet those who are in similar situations through beneficiaries' meetings.	47 persons (28.7%)
	② I can spend a more time talking with my families.	67 persons (40.9%)
	③ I can have higher trust on human beings because I can meet warm-hearted people.	90 persons (54.9%)
․ Participation in programs	① I can have better knowledge because I can receive more training.	65 persons (45.1%)
	②My quality of life becomes higher because I can join several activities.	62 persons (39.6%)
	③I feel solidarity is important.	66 persons (37.8%)

Various programs along with care services operated

A variety of programs including training, campaigns and meetings in addition to care services were provided to single parent families, which makes contribution to producing mutual supports and stronger capability.

First of all, women single parents' meetings have functioned well as venues for mutual encouragement and supports, sharing difficulties such as educations for children together, and exchanging information. These meetings will be continued even after the care services are finalized.

Secondly, KWWA also provided single parent families with diverse training programs in terms of active parent training (A.P.T.), improvement of self-respect and esteem and understanding poor women. When they received the training programs, they talked about themselves and their children honestly in tears and tried to find alternatives.

Thirdly, women single parents' participation in local campaigns and rallies for provoking the increases in supporting single parent families, encouraged each other a lot. During the presidential campaigns, women single parents gather together and made presidential demands by themselves, and they joined campaigns and rallies to publicize their situations. About 130 women single parents belonging to KWWA's regional branches took a part of the first nationwide rally for single parents held on October 7th, 2007.

Fourthly, a variety of programs for women single parent families gave them chances to enjoy with their family members and to talk honestly and to "travel with kids" together. In the spring, KWWA organized excursions with family members, waterside vacation & family camps in the summer vacation, an excursion for viewing autumnal leaves in the fall and sleigh rides, Santa Clause events and year-end parties in the winter. In addition, KWWA tried to provide chances for those who are usually isolated from culture, to carry out cultural activities such as visiting museums, joining musicals, and experiencing mud-flats.

In order to publicize project outcomes

Based on outcomes of our care services KWWA issued a counseling case collection entitled "Single parent families, fly high with the wings of hope" and distributed KWWA's regional branches, authorities related and public authorities. In November 2007 KWWA had a briefing when women single parents from its 5 regional branches and participants in the project attended together. Case manager and developers, women single parents, and child care service workers presented their touching stories and amusing skills by region. In addition, KWWA filmed tearful situations and dream of women single parent families and care services from the 5 regions and presented it in the regional meetings.

KWWA provided a variety of support and assistances for women single parents through care services for the last one year and gained a lot. However, supports for single parent families are not still systematic or good enough, and in future, single parents, themselves, will continue calling for the increase in supports for their independence.

Still unsolved tasks - 5 hopes of single parent families

1. Social integration should be realized through supporting single parent families

▷ Increase and expand scholarships for children from low income single parent families.
▷ Support culture programs including family integration programs for children and single parents.
▷ Establish and increase single parent family support centers to carry out counseling and supports for single parents.
▷ Acknowledge more various types of families.

2. Strengthen vocational training for single parents and expand job opportunities for them.

▷ Expand job opportunities for single parents.
▷ Support cost of living and scholarships for them to focus on job training firmly (for a long period).

3. Prevent poverty through supporting single parents' independence.

▷ Provide assistances for their independence for the first 2 years.
▷ Increase child care support (from 50,000 won to 100,000).
▷ Increase legally standard earning of employed single parents to the level of 150% of minimum wages.

4. Protect the right to health through providing medical supports for single parents.

▷ Support medical costs for low income single parents and their children.
▷ Support care services for employed single parent families.

5. Upgrade single parent families' satisfaction through improving their housing.

▷ Increase the number of public housing offered by local authorities in order to cut the vicious poverty circle because of very heavy monthly rents.
▷ Decrease rent burdens of single parent families through applying different rent systems by wages to public and council housing.

KWWA's Activity Plans & Major Tasks in 2008

KWWA — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:30:02 +0900

KWWA's Activity Plans & Major Tasks in 2008

by Choi Sangrim (chairperson, KWWA)

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).

1. Consolidating organizational capabilities to react to women workers' demands and situations

Women workers lead very hard lives in the shade of social polarization. Only 6% of women workers are organized into trade unions, and so most of them are isolated like small islands in the big ocean. Women workers are involved in very various types of jobs and their demands are so diverse, and so it is not easy to organize them into one form of trade union. Korean Women Workers Association (KWWA) called as its major activity tasks, for a variety of their reasonable demands suitable to their situations in order that women workers involved in very various types of jobs can improve their conditions for themselves.

KWWA has made a variety of organizational efforts including the foundation of National Cooperative of House Managers to improve house caretakers' rights, expanding single parents organizations and meetings to enhance their qualities of lives, the establishment of a cooperative society to unite women workers and solve their problems by themselves, and organizing meetings for after school program workers and helped them develop their leadership. At the very beginning in 2008, we at KWWA adopted the following activity plans for our members to carry out systematic activities and for women workers and activists to consolidate their capabilities, after reflecting how well we have made contribution to empowering Korean women workers:

■ Activity Plan in 2008

(1) We will Re-arrange and activate activities for organizing members (by Organization Committee)
․ Composed by KWWA, IWWA, AWWA, PWWA, North Cholla WWA, PWWA
․ Contents:
- Checking regional situations to activate the organization of members and probing for development strategies.
- Reorganizing education manuals for members (new comers and staff) and supporting education programs in regions.
- Planning workshops for regional chairpersons and organizational staff members on how to organize members.

(2) We will develop educational programs for full-time activists to grow as sincere women labor activists (by Education Committee)
․ for new activists (history, activities, visions and values of women workers organizations)
․ training for strengthening activities by region (counseling, organization, policy making, PR, and training.)
․ Developing leadership (Understanding leadership, operating organizations, self-introspection and communication, women workers' movement.)

(3) We will 'address development strategies of membership structures,' policy discussion amongst chairpersons and staff - chairpersons' meeting in June.

(4) We will provide training for instructors on organizational activities
․ Composed by instructor training plan team : KWWA, SWWA, Suwon WWA, IWWA, and Korean Community Information Network.
․ Contents: Planning training programs for operating democratic structures and to cultivate staff members' capacities at grassroots levels.

2. KWWA has called for legal changes to overcome the polarized labor market

A symposium was held in celebration of 20 years of KWWA, entitled “Women’s Work, Changes for 20 years and Prospect.” Dr. Chang Ji-yeon highlighted people are divided into two social strata: the one with guaranteed proper salaries and social security, enjoying social insurances, but the other socially vulnerable class who has nothing. She found Korean social insurance systems only benefit social insurance payers. She suggests to overcome the unfair systems should be an essential task to change women workers' economic status.

■ KWWA calls for the implementation of equal pay for work of equal value to overcome worsening polarization in the labor market

Traditionally no equal pay for work of equal value has not been implemented in Korea, nor is social standard of equal pay for work of equal value decided legally, and so job evaluation system has not socially been in progress. Despite, in order to practice sufficient wage negotiations by industry the implementation of equal pay for work of equal value cannot be delayed as a standard for narrowing down wage gaps segregated by company and by type of work. Besides, in order to prevent very serious wage differences like nowadays because of the introduction of unsystematic and discriminatory groups of occupations in near future, to those who will be changed to regular workers after 2 year irregular jobs, caused by a planned enactment, social agreement on equal pay for work of equal value should be discussed and collected as a rational standard.

For this, social mediation for enhancing sufficient redemption for discriminatory wages caused by the enactment of irregular workers, should be implemented in practice, and especially prevention clauses on discrimination against indirect and irregular workers should be made, who are different from full time workers at parent companies and/or contracting companies, and social mediation for transferring company-led job evaluations to gender sensitive ones should be carried out.

■ Increase in the number of 4 social insurance beneficiaries and expansion of social security on meditation and housing

Less than 30% of Korean women workers are protected by Korean laws. In near future, if there is no dramatic increase in social insurances for women workers, the expansion of some protective enactments and social insurances will not be able to affect women workers positively. In order to overcome this terrible situation, the expansion of the 4 social insurances should be expanded from regular workers protected by Labor Standard Law to all types of workers, and the government needs to support employers from its general account. In addition, fees and costs paid by poor people who should be targeted foremost should be reduced, and so they should not be excluded from the social security net.

Besides, the increasing number of single family due to removal of lifelong jobs, caused by the vulnerable labor market, and the social changes in which there have been decreasing childbirths and tremendous rise in the number of aged people, are able to be put in increasing blind spots and to become increasing social risks. In particular, the poorer women the higher medical and housing fees, and so they still remain as poor working people although they work hard. The government should increase the number of public housing and council housing, expand medical and education benefits and supports, and introduce systematic social insurance systems, so that basic livelihoods of poor people can be maintained.

■ 2008' Activity Plan

(1) We will conduct research on wage conditions for the women workers who are long term contracted workers and workers whose tasks become changed after the implementation of the Enactment of Irregular Workers and will raise social issues for gender-sensitive job evaluation:
- conducted by KWWA, Korean Women's Trade Union, and researchers

(2) We will carry out research for achieving equal pay for work of equal value and for gender sensitive job evaluation and weaving networks about these issues.

(3) We will demand and become involved in socal supports for low-pay and/or irregular workers and call for expanding four social insurances for workers in the informal sector.

3. Alternative social activities for overcoming ruling thinking from the labor market

KWWA evaluated its last 20 year activities. Although KWWA has struggled a lot, but women workers' situations which have not been improved much, should be diagnosed and alternative discourses are needed to develop. Women workers' movement confronting neo-liberalism should be expanded not only to the workplace but also their lives. To tackle women workers' problems, quality of life along with wages and discrimination should be treated and alternative discourses, philosophies and case studies are needed to look at. KWWA has been struggling against globalization of capital generating more consumption, environmental destruction and socioeconomic polarization, KWWA has tested and reviewed a variety of methods such as alternative lifestyles in which people consume less but have higher quality of life, environmentally friendly lifestyle that save me, my society and this planet, and alternative economic movement focusing cooperation and mutual help rather than competition and effectiveness.

KWWA has carried out a variety of activities including child care services for low income families with care workers sent to home, single parent family support activities, workers' self-motivated cooperatives and low income family care service support activities, in order to have better approaches to the lives of poor people, but these activities have not been able to become well-established as a social movement producing alternative values yet. The movement is not to struggle to seize much more, but to find and develop alternative values, in order to improve the quality of life and, to lead better lives in harmony with others.

■ 2008' Activity Plan

(1) We will organize a study group in women's movement to look at how to have high quality of lives in spite of earning less.

․ Composed by instructor training plan team : KWWA, PWWA, Cholla WWA, SWWA, DWWA, Masan & Changwon WWA and some researchers.

․ Contents:
- To grope for alternative discourses and activities to expand women workers' movement.
- To develop new values and visions, not ruling values, which should be practiced in our lives with great confidence.
- To dig out cases and look at practical strategies about alternative mode of lives.
- To organize workshops for regional branch organizations to participate in producing alternative activities.

(2) We will organize discussions amongst full-time staff and representatives : In our representatives' meeting in October, we will make activity plan in 2009.

(3) We will make the network of hope : We will create economic communities to give and share what we need.

[No.1]"Women, Let's Open the Curtain of New Communities World."

KWWA — Tue, 1 Apr 2008 17:09:33 +0900

Let’s Make our Good Demands to Presidential Candidates’

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

A symposium was organized on October 30^th, 2007 in celebration of 20 years of KWWA. The first symposium under the title of “Women’s Work, Changes for 20 years and Prospect” examined objectively the changes of ‘Korean women workers’ for the past 20 years, and the second symposium looked subjectively at how ‘women workers’ movement’ has been changed. more>>

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>>