October 15, 2011 at 2pm, when heavy rain suddenly came, the 2nd Care Women Workers' Rally was jointly hosted in the middle of Jonggak, by National Cooperative of House Managers (NCHM) and the KWWA. About 350 care women workers nationwide who departed to Seoul at dawn, shouted in one voice "Care workers are also workers! We should be applied to Labor Standard Law! Ratify ILO home care workers agreement!"
Despite the heavy autumn rain, the National Care Women Workers' Rally started with the address made by Jung Moon Ja, the chairperson of KWWA and Yoon He-ryeon, the chairperson of NCHM, followed by the solidarity addresses written by Kwon Mi-hyeok standing chairperson of KWAU (and read by another person) and Lee Beong-hak, chairperson of Korean Association of Self Sufficiency Promotion, and stirring remarks by Lee Mi-kyeong, National Assembly member, which heated and encouraged the participants a lot.
‘During the farm hardship period, almost all were so poor that Keumsoon's family sent her to Seoul~ From that moment, Keumsoon's living and working at other people's families seemed to start~' a movie talker started his eloquent words: 'Dreams of Keumsoon' showed the changes in home care workers' lives by period, from domestic helpers in the past to house managers in the present. (by the GWWA)
“Although a doctor suggested that I should receive medical care without working for a while, I cannot help continuing my work because I am afraid if I may lose my job and the medical cost is too high.” (A house manager from Incheon)
“Even though my wage is just around the Minimum Wage, it helps my family and it is worthwhile to take care of the children of single parent and low income families. I was happy. But I heard the contract would be terminated and people don't know what would happen after that. Without the care service system for single and low income families, the parents can't be relieved because they can't find the place to take care of their children in. Of course, we will also be unemployed.” (A childcare manager from Daegu)
“We work in the same care industry. But while the people, working for the voucher system managed by the Ministry of Welfare, and social enterprises by the Ministry of Labor, are covered by Korean 4 social securities, the people like us working in the ordinary labor market, are not protected. I hope the legal reform to help care workers be recognized as care workers and receive at least social securities should be passed in the National Assembly.” (a care assistant from Pucheon)
In order to solve such difficulties of care workers in the workplace and make equality between workers, it is necessary that care workers should be covered by the Labor Standard Act, Industrial Hazard Insurance and Employment Insurance. Accordingly, the National Assembly should immediately pass the legal reform of Care Workers Protection Act which was proposed in September, 2010. In addition, the Korean government voting for the ILO's 'Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers should ratify the convention as soon as possible, in accordance with the Korea's status.