[vol.1] Voice from the women workers_ Securing lifetime employment through abolition of women bank employee system

Securing lifetime employment through abolition of women bank employee system Women's Policy Office of the Small and Medium Industry Bank winning the prize for women of the year View on winning of Mar. 8th women's prize. The Women Policy Office of the labor union of the Small and Medium Industry Bank received the 7th Mar 8th woman's prize of 1993 established by KWWAU at an event in remembrance of Int'l Women's Day on March 8. the edition department of 'Working Women' visited the women policy room of the small and Medium Industry Bank labor union which has developed voluntary and thriving activities. When we visited the Labor union located on the l6th floor of the Small and Medium Industry Bank's building, Whang Kyum-Joo (31 years old), the chief of the women's policy room was having an interview with the chiefs of other banks' women's departments. After the interview, sitting with the staff of 'Working Women', Whang Kyurn-Joo expressed her feeling on the receipt of the prize in reply to congratulation greetings given by the staff. "l am very pleased because the prize was given not to me individually but to our women policy room that is to say, to all of union members. In spite of our short history and experience, what brought this prize to us is interpreted as an affectionate encouragement and interest in office women workers' movement. Therefore, we will do our best even more in the future". Women Policy Room established through efforts of Labor Union. 'In 1988 when activities of labor unions became intense, the small and Medium Industry Bank's labor union and a direct election for the chair person (6th) for the first time. It caused a new feature for bank labor unions which had had an indirect selection for the previous 30 years. I had graduated from high school and worked in the bank 3 or 4 years when, like position rank system, the disadvantage of the women bank clerk system began to appear one by one. However, I realized that l couldn't do anything by myself and came to feel that an organization for only women is necessary. I resolved to take the initiative in solving the problems though I was wanting in ability. So l ran in the direct election for the head of the women's department in 1988. For the first time in bank labor union history, the 6th executive department established a woman vice chief of the committee and increased the number of full time women staff to 3 in order to fulfill the impending demands for abolition or women bank clerk system and securing lifetime employment of women workers. It gave the opportunity to broaden the chance for women to take part in the Labor Union and strengthened the base of organizing activities for women. "As the 7th executive department started in 1991, the women's department was raised to a women policy office for the purpose of more effective achievement of women's projects. The women department chief was promoted to the office chief having the power of full time bargaining with increase of staff to 4. Through this the scope of women's activities was extended" said Whwang Kyung-Joo. She also established the action policy of the Women Policy Office to be increased participation or women in the union and also in the struggle or the grassroots masses. Women union members leading abolition or women bank clerk system to victory "One or the biggest achievements the women's policy office has achieved through its activities so far is the abolition of the women bank clerk system. Although the law for sexua1 equality was passed in 1988, the reality is that we continue to be discriminated against in terms or employment, promotion and wage. In particular, banks discriminate between women and men even in recruiting. Men were employed as general officers and women were employed separately as women tellers. The 1abour unions of the government-run banks (Kukmin, Enterprise, Housing, Industry, The Korea mint corporation) claimed in solidarity that the government did not observe the law of sexual employment equality and accordingly demanded an increase of 8% in the scheduled budget in order to eliminate the wage disparity. More than 1,000 of these members have staged a demonstration for these demands in front or the Planning Department in Kwaucheon. At last, owing to the struggle. the Ministry of Labor declared abolition of the women bank clerk system in banking institutions in 1991. However, in reality it couldn't be applied because or government interference in free bargaining between employer and employee as well as the insincerity of the presidents of banks. Nevertheless we did not give in. In Sept. of 1992 around 1,000 women union members gathered and held 'An event to move forward to victory', demanding the abolition of the women bank clerk system, implementation or equal salary classification, abolition of the examination for position change, and 100% guarantee for female employees career after coming into the bank. It was the first large scale rally in the history of banking labor unions. It provided an opportunity for women not only to cry out for 'Participation to achieve' and 'United to live', but also to verify these issues one by one in their realty situation and have the experience of activating them. It also served as a chance to merge together the determination of women in the struggle. Moreover we waged an educationa1 publicity campaign through posters and leaflets which spurred the struggle for the abolition of women bank clerk system. As a result, we reached an agreement on abolition of the women bank clerk system which was an inspiring achievement. For securing lifetime opportunity equality Whang Kyum-Joo who married last year admitted to a certain diffusion of her mind. However, she claimed marriage served as a turning point to think about the activities of the women's department from a new point of view. 'When single, I viewed the activities of the women's department on the 1abour union as struggles for getting a higher wage. However now that l am married, I consider the most important thing to be securing lifetime employment. Nowadays women who retire on account of marriage, pregnancy. baby birth are decreasing in number. Instead, infant care is a serious reason to stop working. Facing this kind of reality, I began to think it was necessary to establish day care centers in order to bring true our dreams of lifetime employment. Though we have no example of successfully run day care centers at work places yet. we need to develop a plan for the setting up of day care centers suitable to our banks situations. Therefore, at present we are groping for a plan for day care centers which can be open to other banks, to near-by areas and of course to our own bank. To carry out such a project, we will join with activists. professors, 1awyers and other professionals. To form 'an Advisory Committees on Women Policies '. In this way we can get good advice and concrete help." Judging from her appearance when Whang Kyum-Joo informed us of future project plans in detai1, with passion and determination, the activities of the women policy office of the Small and Medium Industry Bank can be expected to become a model of women activities in the labor union. This will be true during these times of slowed activity in the labor union movement whether there is a difference between the types of job for women or not, whether there is a women's section in the labor union or not. Korea Working Women's Network 1997