Increase the Minimum Wage!
- Results and Remaining Issues of the Movement for the Increase of the Minimum Wage -
Bae Jin-kyung ● KWWAU, public relations officer
On July 20 last year, the Minimum Wage Commission decided on the minimum wage to be applied from September to August next year - 2,100 won per hour, 474,600 won a month, an increase of 12.6% from the previous year. It was a surprise since only about 2~3% increase was expected. This is due to the activities of the Action Center for Irregular Women Workers' Rights in solidarity with other organizations. It started with a survey in April of contract women workers with campaigns and signature-collection drives in all regions.
Signature Collections of 10,488 People
On May 23, `the 10,000 signature-collection drive for the increase of the minimum wage' started. The drive was aimed to increase citizen awareness and participation and to publicize the issue. As a result, 10,488 people signed the petition. The signatures were submitted to the Minimum Wage Commission on July 11, a good opportunity to show the urgency of the matter.
Debate on the reality of contract women workers
On June 8, the debate on the reform measures on the minimum wage problem from the perspective of irregular workers was held. The debate was held on the survey carried out regionally on contract women workers. The survey revealed the ugly reality of these women workers. 22.9% of these women workers were receiving less than the legal minimum wage of 421,490 won and 1/3 of those interviewed said that they were heads of households. In the debate, the unrealistic minimum wage system was pointed out to have been solidifying the low wages of women workers. Demands were put forward for the reform of the review standards of the minimum wage, making the minimum wage meet realistic standards, participation of irregular workers in the review process, strengthening government supervision, the expansion of the concept "user-employers", etc.
KIM, Soo-gon (the head of the Minimum Wage Commission) said that "I agree that the standard age for the application of the minimum wage must be raised,”and also that “the increase of the minimum wage is too minimal to be really effective.”The debate was attended by about 140 women workers.
National Inauguration of the campaign to increase the minimum wage (June 25, 2001)
Campaign in 10 Cities
There were campaigns calling for the increase in the minimum wage in 10 cities (Seoul, Incheon, Gwangju, Masan, Changwon, Busan, North Cholla Province, Ansan, Bucheon, Daegu, Daejon) from May to July. The campaigns were held once monthly, publicizing the need for the increase in the minimum wage to the public and workers. On June 25, a special rally was held to commemorate the start of the national campaign. This rally is the first of its kind since the birth of the Minimum Wage Commission. Ms Choi, Ok-soon, the head of the Inha University Union Branch of the KWTU revealed the reality of cleaning ladies who received a monthly wage of 420,000 when half of them were heads of households and called for the guarantee of wage increase to allow basic living.
Actions Against the Minimum Wage Commission
Publicity campaigns were carried out together with actions against the Minimum Wage Commission. A position paper was submitted calling for the increase of the minimum wage to a realistic level. The signatures of 10,488 were also submitted along with a letter to the head of the Minimum Wage Commission. The two letters to the head of the Minimum Wage Commission written from the perspective of women workers were very persuasive. A press conference was also held by the Action Center for Irregular Workers' Rights, Interviews with members of the Commission were also held.
Contention Between the Commission Members
The Minimum Wage Commission consists of 9 labor representatives and 9 representatives from the public sector. There was contention over the minimum wage standards between the members of the Commission, the labor representatives asking for 2,837 won per hour while the representatives from the public sector proposing 1,930 won per hour. On July 5, the public representatives proposed 1,941 per hour, on July 12, the labor representatives proposed 2,270 won per hour. Finally on July 20, after more compromises, the two sides submitted their final proposals of 2,100 won (labor) and 2,060 won (public). The proposals were voted on and the proposal submitted by the labor representatives was adopted with a difference of only vote.
The increase in the minimum wage was possible due to the efforts outlined. The campaigns are especially important not only because of the increase in wages but also for increasing the public awareness of the issue such as the reality of the minimum wage, how it is computed, and why it is important. Furthermore, the reality of the workers were also revealed. Monitoring activities will be carried out in the workplace to see if the minimum wage standards are observed properly.