|
NEWS Korean Women Workers KWWAU - Education for counselors of Equal Rights Counseling Center There was educational training for the counselors of the Equal Rights Counseling Center all over the country. There were lectures on interpretation and case study of the dispatched workers and a case workshop on dispatched workers. The sepeciality of the course was that the participants had a chance to apply their counseling cases to the actual legal process in order to experience the factuality of the law and its application to real cases. Aside from the lecture on dispatched workers, there was a special lecture on the utility of a Data Base and the establishment of a DB. - The present situation of women's employment based on the analysis of the counseling cases during the first quarter of the year During the first quarter of 2000, 368 cases have been registered through the Equal Rights Counseling Center. The particularities of the registered cases are 1) Worsened labor conditions due to change of the employment form, 2) Forced resignation and unjust treatments due to marriage, pregnancy, or birth delivery, 3) Violent words and physical violence within the workplace. There were lots of clients appealing the delay of payment, unjust dismissal, and other reasons for insecurity of employment. The clients' sufferings reflect the situation of women workers influenced by the change of the employment form which mean, change to irregular base. The sexual abuse, violent words, and physical violence within the workplace have increased three times compared with the fourth quarter of 1999. - Meeting with the workers from the Free Trade Zone in Sri Lanka(April 22-30) Activists of KWWAU visited Sri Lanka in order to meet the activists in the Free Trade Zone in Sri Lanka. A number of women workers work in Katunayake and Biyagama, parts of Free Trade Zone, under hard and weak labor conditions. Last February, the law, which allows organizing trade unions within the Free Trade Zone, there were lots of attempts to set up trade unions however, they are having hard time because the companies in the FTZ are dismissing the leaders of trade union organizing. Those workers, who work in Korean companies, have been suffering from unjust dismissal and violences. The Korean delegates shared with them about experiences from the Masan FTZ. Both Korea's and Sri Lanka's workers established a strong solidarity between two countries. - Research on dispatched workers The law on dispatched workers is going to be two years old by July this year. According to the present law, the contract period of dispatched workers is two years and if a company wants to renew the contract after two years, the company must employ the worker under the regular base. However, at the moment, the corporations are demanding dispatched workers' contracts. The corporations are trying to avoid hiring the dispatched workers under the regular base so that they are sacking workers within two years. KWWAU has launced research on the situation of the dispatched workers. We are planning to provide proper and reasonable measures to help the dispatched workers through the research. The research will be completed at the end of May. North Cholla WWA - Weekly campaign for the gurarantee of legal rights of the irregular women workers Weekly Campaign for the guarantee of the lgal rights of irregular women workers have been conducted in Cheonju and Iksan. - Monitoring the damage in the process of seeking for and getting a new job The Monitoring project was provided in order to help those women workers who were expelled from their previous workplace due to the IMF economic crisis and met various difficulties in the process of getting a new job. North Cholla WWA will complete the Monitoring project at the end of May and will study the result of the project. It is planned to hold an open forum in July in order to publicize the problem in society. Pucheon WWA -Women Workers' School, "Finding myself inside me"(March 24 - April 14) The Women Workers' School, "Finding myself inside me", which is for unmarried women, was conducted. There were four lectures on "Self-growth", "Marriage and Sex from your own perspective", "Working women are beautiful", and "Towards the future with confidence". The lectures were composed of input and sharing. The participants had a chance to strengthen their consciousness as working women and to build up solidarity with other women workers. As a follow-up activity, a small group was formed and the group has already had the first meeting. They are planning to meet every two weeks in order to study, share, and organize some cultural activites - Education for new employees on the prevention of sexual abuse within the workplace In order to help the graduates of senior high school to have a firm and clear understanding on sex and the employment context, and in order to help ready them for their future employment, the education under the theme of "Prevention of sexual abuse and employment laws" is going to be held in May, November, and December in four senior high schools for 2,500 students. It is in order to help them to be ready for the proper and healthy life in the workplace and to build up a proper sex culture in the workplace. Ansan WWA - "Doorae" Sports Day of (April 22) Doorae, which is an autonomous organization of unemployed women workers, launched a sports day for their members and their families. They prepared a lot for the day. It was a little rainy but the members had a wonderful time to consolidate their solidarity and to confirm their unity through various games. - Lecture for single women(May 15 - June 26) Ansan WWA plans to hold seven lectures for single women under the theme of "With special joy". The lecture will help the attendants to get positive thought towards themselves, to overcome own limit and to plan for the future, and to find out good points in order to grow self-confidence. The lecture is open to every single woman who wants to stand firmly as a woman in this society. - Education for the activists working for irregular workers(May 9, 12) At the present, the rate of irregular workers including dispatched workers is over 58%. Particularly women workers are under aworse situation in terms of security of employment and labor condition. Under the circumstance, WWA is going to hold an educational program on May 9 and 12 for union leaders and members on the recent trend and situation of irregular workers and the interpretation of the related laws to dispatched workers. Masan & Changwon - Group counseling for unemployed women workers (May 2 - 3) Group Counseling for unemployed women workers under the theme of "Here I am" was conducted. There were four lectures, a group game, and "Let's speak well of others" which was a group dynamic program. The participants experienced various group activities. They got a new hope for their future activities. - Propagandizing the Movement Headquarter for Restoration of Irregualr Women Workers' Rights Since the campaign on April 7th, weekly propaganda work has been conducted. MCWWA has publicized the rights of irregular women workers and the activities of the headquarter through their publications. Seoul WWA - Doorae for overcoming umemployment The "Doorae for Overcoming Unemployment", which was established through the activities of Seoul WWA, conducted a series of lectures and counseling thanks to the help of Lawyer, Sam Hwa Kim under the theme of "Living laws with Lawyer Sam Hwa Kim is near us". The lectures and counseling were focused on the methods of dealing with debt, renting house and divorce. In April, the lecture was hold under the theme of "A single parent's children's education". It was a good chance for the women family heads to realize that every problem can be solved when they realize that they are important and owners of their lives. In May, it was planned to hold a lecture on the introduction and interpretation of labor related information in order to help them to struggle for their rights. - Small grouping for women head of family The group counseling of April was actively participated in by women family heads and got a positive feedback. The participants of counseling at the age of 30 to 40 formed themselves and are planning to meet on May 20. They are planning to have a monthly meeting where they want to have a self- development program until December. Kwangju WWA - Leadership Training(April 1-2) Kwangju WWA held a leadership training in a resort and about ten leaders participated in the program. They shared about the role and attitudes of leaders, plans and activities for 2000, and consolidating their wills. Through the training, they evaluated their activities and planned for better activities for 2000. - Campaign on fundraising for the development of women(May 4) On May 4, 2000, there was a campaign on fundraising for the development of women in collaboration with other women organizations. In the campaign, there were various events of face painting, selling badges, and distribution of brochures. - Research on the reality of cooks in charge of school meals The Kwangju ACRIWWR has conducted research on cooks in charge of school meals from April to May. The research has been conducted in over 70 schools. The main contents of the questionnaire regard employment condition and the application of the Labor Standard Law. At the end of May, the result of the research will be publicized and it is planned to conduct a roundtable meeting with the replyers and officers in charge in the Ministry of Education. Inchon WWA - Group Counseling for women family heads Inchon WWA has conducted group counseling from April 14 for women family heads. Aside from counseling various group activities have been provided in order to help the participants to share about their experiences and difficulties in order to comfort each other and to help each other. It is hoped that they can find the way to get through their difficulties by themselves. - I protect my rights by myself From April 19, publicizing the irregular workers' problem has started. The campaign has been conducted in subway stations. The campaign will last for a month in order to publicize the rights of irregular workers. A good number of people have contacted the WWA Counseling Center after reading the brochure. It is found that a lot of people do not know their rights. - Lecture on the developing creativity of women, "A special joy" From April 26, the lecture has started for all women under the theme of "Lecture 2000 for developing the creativity of women". The lecture is going to help move from all kinds of negative attitudes and to grow more positive attitudes, to help them to live in unity with other women, and to develop more successive relationships with others. - Training for voluntary teachers in "Study Rooms" for children from poor families WWA is planning to hold a series of training for the voluntary teachers of study room for the children from poor families from May 16 for six times. There will be "Sensitivity training", "Sex education for children", "Community plays", "Systematization of the after school programs", etc. They hope to have lots of participations. |
Korea Working Women's Network 2000