[vol.6] Report_ Korean women workers celebrated the 88th "3.8International Women's Day"
WORKING WOMAN 2008. 2. 1. 18:18
The declaration stated that Korean women workers have long been demanding women's rights in society and job security for women workers. In the past, through our struggle we have made step-by-step progress on improving and developing job security, maternity protection, payment of child-care leave under the social security system, on promoting equality, and the right to organize and negotiate, and finally on promoting a democratic Korean society.
Until now the government has promulgated the view that as a democratic government they are concerned with women and workers' issues, but in practice they only make use of women workers in their economic development plan, and continually ignore or forget work innovation policy for workers.
We continue to organize and struggle to promote our situation in a basically discriminatory society.
The KWWAU, on the occasion of celebrating the 88th 3.8 International Day, declare our demandsa:
- We are continuing to struggle against dispatched workers' law which has been introduced by management
- We are against the promotion of informal sectors and we are asking and campaigning to change the labor law to provide temporary workers with automatic transfer to a regular position after three months work.
- We urge women's job promotion, and for this the government office and public services should implement a policy of employing women in 20% of all positions at all levels.
- Labor law and the application of Worker's Accident Compensation Insurance should be expanded to workplaces with less than 5 workers, and the labor law should cover or apply to temporary workers as well.
- We are in the forefront in demanding a bill or law protecting home-based workers.
- We urge the government to concentrate on the promotion of the principle of "Equal job, equal payment" and to abolish all kinds of discrimination in employment.
- We demand 90 days of maternity leave and 7 days of parental, etc...
- Workplaces with 150 workers (men and women) should provide day-care facilities and get support for this from the government.
- The government should provide child-care subsidies for parents.
Commemorative activities to celebrate International Women's Day were held in Inchon, Pusan, Ma-chang and Kwang-Ju. The KWWAU Inchon branch held these activities on March 10th at the Inchon University Hall.
More than 500 women and men workers and civilians participated. The ceremony began with the declaration, and was followed by singing from a cultural group and groups of day-care center teachers.
This was followed by a drama called Markshim Goriki's "Mother" which was performed by the cultural group "Som Kyul" (this cultural group is organized by workers in the Inchon area)
The Ma-chang KWWAU branch held its ceremony on March 8th at the YMCA hall. The Ma-chang Women Workers Association jointly organized this event together with women's associations in the Ma-chang region, the Federation of Democratic Metal Workers unions and the Ma-chang women students union.
About 400 participants attended, and the celebration was started with a speech by a representative from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). This second half of this event was begun with a statement from the joint organizing committee, followed by cultural performance from different unions and organizations (including singing, short drama and a speech on women's lives etc.)
The Kwang-Ju Women Workers Association organized a forum on government policy on Women for the 88th 3.8 International Day with nine different groups in the region. This was held on March 7th in the evening at the YWCA building, with about 200 people taking part.
This forum included discussion on women's policy, the law related to women and the possibility of changing to an alternative system for women, and also included hearing the plans for women's policy from different political parties.
The Pusan Branch also organized an event for International Women's Day. The theme was "Women - promoting the quality of women's live; Women make the world". It was held on March 10th at the Pusan City Hall. About 500 women and men participated in this event. The first part of this program comprised speeches which was followed by cultural performances.
These included dance, singing by women's groups and workers' cultural groups, and participants came out onto the streets dressed with masks to publicize International Women's Day to the general public. In addition there was a photo exhibition on occupational accidents where LG women workers have been affected by chemical solvents and family violence etc.
Through these activities women's self-awareness about their situation increased and solutions to address these problems which destroy women's health were raised.