Voices from the workplace

Apology should be made even
for getting bitten by a mad dog

Soon Deuk Kim,
a member of Masan & Changwon Women Workers Assciation


 

Workplace life amid violent words

  From April 30, 1999, I started working in Sammyeung Ltd. My new career started with encouragement from my manager. He said that we should encourage each other and find good points in each other in order to overcome the economic crisis all over the country. However, the boss began to tame me as his company slave who cannot live outside of the company making use of the weak point of my age. He seemed to expect to have highly qualified robots, not human beings. Because of his fault,of signing the wrong paper, to his account,he threw away all the stuff on my desk and shouted at me. He spoke bad and violent words. I tried not to take his unreasonable behavior and words seriously. I believed that he might got to know me better if I tried to do my best. I tried to be rational so I could show a normal tempo to his anger. Then, he said, "My anger goes up to the highest, I will never scold you." He might be disappointed with my reaction. He might expect me to cry.

Boss, so proud of his hobby to make women cry

  Manager Moon was very difficult. He forced me to wear skirts. He added that making women cry was his favorite hobby so that all female employees working with him cried several times. He also said, "If women do not want to be hungry, the best way is to sleep with men in order to have ten months of guarantee. Do you know men?  As far as I know, women are willing to be naked in front of men by nature...." His verbal sexual abuse continued. Moreover, he used very bad and dirty words and even used violence. He was about to hit me with a key board. He once scratched my neck and pushed me. Whenever I was cornered by him, I really wanted to have a hot fry fan, to hit him but I could not.

Appeal to the Labor Hall

  It was like a nightmare to deal with my daily happenings. On August 12, I knocked on the door of the Labor Hall with my appeal. I tape recorded the violent and bad words of Manager Moon several times. On August 19, Manager Moon was called by the Labor Hall. The boss was like a mad man and he shouted at me. I also tape recorded his words, too. Manager Moon said, "Don't worry, boss. There shouldn't be any evidence. I will just give them my words and everything is going to be alright." I also did record. For myself, for those who have abnormal mentality, and for others like me, I determined to keep up my struggle even though I would become very shamed.  On August 12, I had a bit of physical confrontation with Manager Moon but, I dealt with the situation well. Manager Moon left the office with anger. The boss made an order that I should submit a resignation letter because I made an important employee so angry that he left for home. I took the recorded tapes, some account evidences, the copies of the resume of female applicants, etc. While we were investigated, I was hurt by their arrogant attitudes.

Apology in the district newspaper

  Of course we should not include private feelings in dealing with workloads. Due to all kinds of psychological situations, I did not have a professional spirit as a working woman at those time. I sued Manager Moon for sexual abuse, verbal violence, and physical violence and my boss for verbal and physical violence. I also submitted all the records and tape recordings as evidence. As a result, the company had to pay me consolation money and make a public apology. The Labor Superviser persuaded me to cancel the suit just taking the case as being bitten by a mad dog. I did not accept his commendation and carried out the procedure and the company made a public apology in the district newspaper of February 14 this year.

supporters bring me a victory

  Everything was possible owing to the constant support and encouragement of the KWTU and its themembers. There was a supporter who wrote the contents of the recorded words, that were hard to understand due to the bad condition of recording, and there was the chairwoman of Masan & Changwon WTU and more members who were my body guards at court. There were a lot more people who spared their times and energies to help me. One of them was scolded by her mother in law due to her extra time spent for me. One of them had to ask for an other's help to take care of her daughter who was hospitalized at that time. I was so grateful for their concern and love.
  When I made the first call to KWTU, I was quite reluctant to talk about my problem. I carefully spoke on the phone, "I heard very bad and dirty words from my boss and manager. I have been badly treated by them. What shall I do?" The replier had a very calm and soft voice which made me feel very comfortable and built a deep faith

in her. She advised me to leave records and to make a tape recording if possible. She also advised me to warn my boss and manager. She gave me very basic and sensible advice which helped me to be more rational about my situation. On one side, I thought that the replier was very cool. But all her guidance let me understand the procedure more systematically and fast. My acquaintance with the Women Workers Trade Union provided me a turning point in my life.
   I did not realize how much beautiful meeting new people was. Now things  are different. Now there are the people whom I miss so much and wait for the next meeting. Now I am in the union with beautiful people. I have not lived a long life yet but, I could say that I have leaned an important lesson in my life that every movement for defending my own rights forms a worker's movement.    I am now very proud of my membership in the Women's Trade Union.  



Korea Working Women's Network 2000

Posted by KWWA
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