6) Report from the 2nd East Asia Women's Forum (AUG 1996)
kwwa  2002-10-28 13:41:31, 조회 : 48



               THE 2nd EAST ASIA WOMEN'S FORUM
                AUGUST 22-24, 1996, SEOUL, KOREA

A REPORT

The Forum program consisted  session 1. country report Presentation  session 2. discussion on Hot issue: a). Comfort women  b) Equal Employment   c)  Human Rights  and session 3. Workshop on  a) Political Empowerment   b) Religion and it's Culture   c) .Environment and Development  Second Workshop on  a)  Economic Empowerment and Development   b) Violence Against Women c) Peace movement.

There were about 400 participants  from China, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongo, Taiwan and Korea  participated in this forum.

The first session was about 7 speakers presented.
Representative were bring out of  the economic growth rate of East Asia, specially South Korea is in the top 11th in the world.  Having come out from the absolute poverty of the past the general economic situation of the Korean people has been improved significantly.  In 1995, 48..3% of all women are economically active, which amounts to 40.1% of the total economically active population.  Most of women employees do service, sales, and office works, and it is rare for them to have jobs in professional technical administrative, or managerial areas.  Women usually work, also, in small and low-paid enterprises.  the 1992 statistics shows that 62.7% of women employees are hired in enterprises with less than 5 employees.  The 1995 statistics shows that the average wage of women workers was only 59% of the men's.   And As we know about China is the most populous country in the world. By 1995, the population of China has reached 1,21121 billion, of which women account for 50%, or over 600 million.  A representative from China shared about  current situation . In her sharing, she has point out  on legal guarantee of Chinese women's rights, Women's rights to work and our expectations, education and women's expections, situation of women's health and women workers be re-employed. Among those I was most interested to know about  process of transforming from planed economy to market economy and with the reform of enterprises and adjustment of industrial structures, unemployed women workers turned up in some big and medium-sized cities in China.  These women together with those from enterprises which have suspended or partly suspended production need to seek new employments. Representative from Hong Kong was point out  about Hong Kong political situation; Hong Kong will return to China on July 1, 1997.  Many hong Kong people find the future uncertain and have decided to imigrant, causing numerous social problems. Family break-ups arise when women and children imigrate while the husband stays in Hong Kong working where he is assured of employment.  The  high cost of land and labour have seen factories moving out of Hong Kong to mainland China where land and labour is cheaper.  Eighty percent of manufacturing plans is Hong Kong has subsidiaries operation in China. The number of manufacturing workers in Hong Kong has decreased . Women in their 30's and 40's with 10-20 years of industrial work experience have been thrust into  a service industry where they lack skills and confidence.  Many remain unemployed and unemployable due to sex and age discrimination in the service industry's labour force.  And it is difficult for women over 30 to find jobs.  Cutting down on labour cost often means a move on the part of the employer to hiring part-time labourers.  The majority of part-time workers are women earning a wage of about HK$ 2,000 per month.   Women had family responsibilities and roles to fulfill.  the lack of child care facilities available keeps women at home at home with their children, where the women remain economically dependent upon their husbands.   In report from Mongolian,  Structural reform has  has adopted.  The government policy on women fails to address real problem in the transition period and to find solutions to improve the  status and living conditions of women in Mongolia.    Over the years of transition, mostly women working in the areas of education, health care, manufacturing agriculture, have become victims of job reduction.  The policy measures for women retired early because of many childcare and single mothers is not fair.  She was sharing about women's health problems and women and poverty etc.


On the issue Comfort women, It was focus on the tasks and achievements of the Movement to resolve the issue of Military sexual Slavery by Japan. specially, Korean representative focus on the characteristics of the Japanese military Sexual Slavery System. She was saying military sexual slavery by Japan constituted the most cruel and systematically brutal crime against humanity.  According to international law, it is defined as a crime against humanity. It is also a crime in violation of the international Treaty of Banning the  Forced  Labor and Flesh Traffic.  And she introduce of Seven demands of the Korean Council.  On the issue of this topic, Participants showed their concern during by sending urge the government of Japan to withdraw the Asian Women's Fund, take legal responsibility and pay state reparation.

Hot Issue on Equal Employment; it was sharing case of  Korean and Japan.
Here, specially, the labor market flexibility, which has gained popularity adapted  by the government as a labor policy and by enterprises as a business policy.  The labor market flexibility policy has played a significant role for removing women systematically out of the labor market of regular workers.  Consequently, part time and despatch workers consist  mainly of women..  And they point out about problems of part-time labor. They are harsher labor condition, lack of employment stability, and exclusion from welfare benefits, social security system, and union.  Therefore, new rules protecting part-time workers should be added in the labor standards act.  However, part-time labor is limited in choice of jobs and in enhancing work skill even though employment stability and work condition equivalent to that of a r regular workers are provided for part time workers.  The part time labor brings back the division of jobs based on sex and obstructs the development of women.  There are many more interest and important issues has raised by speakers on prevention and control of sexual harassment in the work place, women maintaining maternal responsibility and professional career at the same time  etc.  At the workshop participants came out suggestion on policies for women's equal employment, including equal pay for equal work should be fully implemented in order to remove the strong gender discrimination at the workplace. and emphasized that  Working mothers need the maternity leave and protection of reproductive health and rights and we have heard that there are many women who are unemployed because of their pregnancy and child and family care need sufficient training opportunities for their economic independence.  

The Human rights of marginalized women, in particular , discussion in this issues; the elderly disabled and foreign migrant workers , and participants express that it should be recognised as a social issue.   And asked full legal protection for them.

Women in religion;  participants realized  women's situation in the religion, and t therefore, participants demand the churches to free themselves from racism, sexism and classism as well as teachings and practices that discriminate against women, and the churches should be encouraged to take actions in solidarity with women, was requested.

I was one of the speaker in the workshop of "Economic Empowerment and Development".  In the may speech, I was point out common women workers issues in  East Asia.  Women's Participation in the Economy in 1970-80, Most of our Asian countries are moving in the direction of consolidating capitalism.

In the past two decades, Asia has adopted an export-led development policy aiming at bringing in foreign investments by producing goods for export to the developed countries. This economic policy was characterized by the establishment of Free Trade Zones where special incentives were given to investors.
The Majority of Labor force employed in FTZ/EPZ are women especially young and single employed mainly in the assembly line.
In recent years, many TNCs and other enterprises in East Asian countries have transferred some part of their capital to other Asian countries where cheap labor is available and where labor control is still very strong. This has taken place mainly in labor-intensive small to medium-sized industries.

Common trends in East-Asia
The unstable conditions facing  women workers in Asia.  Plant closures are happening in Asia which management use as a way to prevent workers from organizing and also  as a way to gain access to cheap labor.  Companies move their plants to the rural areas and move out of the country overseas. Women workers are particularly hard hit by the industrial restructuring process.  Companies are relocating labor intensive industries to poorer countries of Asia. As women workers have always concentrated in labor intensive jobs, jobs lost under economic restructuring process are usually women's jobs.

Increasing of  the flexible workers; as happens in many other countries, women are being gradually pushed into terribly low-paid, insecure employment. Part-time workers and temporary workers have been increasing in Asia.  
These flexible workers does not covered by labor law and receiving lower salary as lower as 60% of the wages of regular employment, not only wages also does not enjoy welfare benefits.

Migrant workers are increasing in East Asia.  And as we see sub-contracting workers are mostly married women. They work longer hours, harsh working conditions and less opportunities for labor organising.  A large member of women workers are employed in low-skilled jobs and they are concentrated in a small company.  In 1992, women working in firms employing less than 5 workers comprised 62.7% of all women in the labor force in Korea.

From the second East Asian Women's forum , hearing from 7 countries and areas in the region on the progress made a very little by governments and NGOs during the past year. Even  then this exchange forum gave me many information and ideas and learned experiences in overcoming the political, economic, social and cultural barriers faced by women.  And I reaffirmed that women can make a difference through  coming together and working together and strengthen our NGO network which will empower us to take more active role at the national, regional and international levels.

After all, the forum promoted a sense of sisterhood and solidarity among women and women's NGOs in region.  And it can be strengthen our solidarity and understanding on women's situation in East Asia by sharing among the participants at the workshop.  I have learn many  things  from the workshop and  I was able to found out important of empowering women by hearing from and sharing  experiences with participants.  they are more things that I have benefit from the workshop.

Suggestions to APHD

I think APHD as a church agency, should responce  in this difficulte women's situation, therefore I would like to request to APHD, to take up issues of women. empowerment;
- supporting activities on women equal employment  including equal pay for equal work and activities on gender discrimination at the workplace and maternity protection of reproductive health and rights.  
-Activity on improve provisional measures that give favorable treatment to women in job training and employment.

Specially I would like to request to APHD if possible  suport or do  monitoring TNCs conditions and to bring women workers leaders or APHD partners who are working in this issue from East Asia to developing countries, specially  countries where East-Asia Companies relocated or set up their companies.  So that they see the workers situation in developing countries and exchange their ideas.  

Possible Program would; 1) Exchange visit 2) Information Exchange 3) linkage solidarity between sending country and receiving country 4) Research on working coundition in  receiving country  5) Need skill training for job less women workers in East Asia, APHD responce to this need situation by suporting organisation's program or doing by APHD itself.

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5) Beijing Report of The Changes of Women Workers Employment and the Strategy of
kwwa  2002-10-28 13:39:45, 조회 : 54

THE CHANGES OF WOMEN WORKERS' EMPLOYMENT AND THE STRATEGY OF WOMEN WOKERS' STRUGGLE IN KOREA

The main power of Korean economy growth has been women workers who had been engaged in the light industries of 1960's and 1970's. Most of women workers were put into the light industries such as garment and textile, and the government put their efforts in the export oriented - economy policy, which was based on the low wage, terrible working conditions and oppression against the workers' organizing. Through the 1980's, on the basis of women workers' sacrifying , Korea has put the steps towards one of the four dragons in Asia.

Meanwhile, on the division structure of the world economy in 1980's, the Korean government spreaded the industrial restructuring policy with focusing the heavy-chemical industry, and in its process, the women workers who were working in the light industries have been faced to mass dismiss and instablity of employment. However, since the workers' consciousness and activities have been getting more live, which was mainly related with the terrible working conditions like low wage, the government and the company blocked the workers' demands and put the strong strategy to destroy the organizing workers. Therefore, the employment of women workers has been worse in the withrwal of foreign-invested company, transffering the domestic capital to overseas, and mass dismissal by the lock-out of mid-small industries.

Thus, the women dominated industries such as textile, shoes, garment and electronics have been classified as a fading industry, so the government did not care for that. Many women workers were faced to a sudden dismissal since the foreign-invested company made a decision to withrwal their capital, and women workers became an unemployer.

These dismissed women workers organized a continous struggles against the company lock-out and struggles for the employment guarantee. Even, they went to U.S.A. and Japan for their struggle. Regarding the employment and the amendment of foreign-invested company law, they organized a solidarity, so the issue of employment was socialized to the public.

The government strategy on employment in 1990's  has been focused to expansion of temporary workers and introduction of foreign workers. The employment strategy to strengthen low wage policy and to destroy the workers' power have been expanded with temporary workers, part-timer, contract-based workers and dauly workers. Since these workers are mostly women,  the women workers' employment has been getting instable. Also the workers in Korea do not want to work in such a terrible working conditions, the government put their efforts to introduce foreign workers with the above excuse. The government introduces foreign workers in the name of training program with a leagal status. However, these foreign workers are not guaranteed in terms of human rights, so it became a social problems.

This employment problem has been an obstacle in the movement of equal workers' rights and equality of men and women. Since 1987, the issue struggle such as removal of early-retirement, of promotion-discrimination against the women in bank, of discriminated retirement age, and  achivement of same-work, same-pay system,

Still, these discrimination problems in wage, recruitment and vocational training are not solved, yet.

The organized women workers' movement in Korea has been oriented from the workers' union movement in 1970's. At that time, religious organizations and intelligent people supported to the workers' organizing. There were not many democratic unions in 1970's, however, these unions proceeded their struggle on destroying  yellow union, establishment of democratic union, 8 working hour system, forced retirement of married or pregnant women workers.

Through the democratic workers union movement, the workers' consciousness has been raised up, and the workers' rights has been improved, however, there are still unsolved women's issues. It has been demanded to develop more subjective women- oriented society from the men dominated ideology and its culture. Especially, the workers' union movement could not socialize the women workers' issue  tp be a public common issue. That's why the women workers movement organization has been set up from the end of 1980's in order to confirm the genuine women workers movement. Since the workers' great struggle in 1987, many workers unions have been established, and they organized solidarity struggle on employment stablity, removal of discrimination and expansion of maternity protection. And, they focused to develop women's department in the union. The present tasks on women workers have been put into the social struggle, and it has been develop to criticize the goverrnment policy on women workers and to strengthen the struggle against the government.

Meanwhile, the workers' union which had been involved in the democratic union movement moved forward the continous solidarity since 1987, as a result of that, the movement has a plan of building up the democratic federation of workers unions in the end of this year. At the moment, it's not leagle to set up multi-workers union in one company in Korean society, we anticipate to face with opposition by the yellow federation of workers' unions, however, many women organizations look forward to solving women workers' issue with systematic and organized policy.
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1) Malaysia Workshop for Trainers of Women Workers Organizations Report (OCT1994)
kwwa  2002-10-28 13:35:38, 조회 : 48

Workshop for Trainors of Women Workers' Organizers
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
October 23-28, 1994

Session I

   My name is Son, Young-Ju (30 years), and I am currently active in the Seoul Women Workers Association (SWWA).  After entering college in 1984, I was active in a publications club that produced a women students' journal in my first year, and was able to learn and study about women's issues.  I also participated in organizational activities for women students and later took up the position of Educational Division Director in the Women Students Association.
   After graduating, I worked for one year as reporter and editor at a publishing company, hoping to make a small contribution to spreading public knowledge about women's isssues.  Afterwards, I began work at an electronics assembly factory having about 70 women (mostly married) workers.  Here, I felt the urgent need for an organizational movement to resolve the problems of women factory workers, particularly for married women workers.  Hence, I entered the Seoul Women Workers Association in 1991, and am now responsible for education and publicity for organizers.
   Currently, there is increasing demand for greater specialization and professionalization of activities as a means of improving the women workers movement.  Efforts to develop practically oriented programs that are closely related to the everyday lives of women are also needed.

Session II

   The education and training programs currently being in progress at SWWA target three main groups:  labor union leaders, un-unionized workers, and labor activists.  A preparatory committee is established before the training in order to formulate the contents of the program and to put it into practice.  Evaluations by the participants and the preparatory committee are then collected and examined by SWWA.

1. Education for labor union leaders
   * Objectives: 1) To raise the social consciousness of union
                    leaders and women workers
                 2) To improve activities of unions leaders and
                    the labor union's women's division
   * Contents: Programs include education on analyzing social systems, attitudes of labor union leaders, Korean society and women's issues, including protective measures for women in collective bargaining agreements, and women's issues in the workplace (ie-employment issues, daycare, married women's issues, sexual harassment).
   * Method: 1) Overnight programming
             2) Focusing on women's and labor issues
                specifically requested by the labor union

   * Example: Fourth Annual National Seminar for Women Labor
              Union Leaders, held in 1991
     1) Time: Oct. 11-13, 1991 (2 nights, 3 days)
     2) Participants: 50 participants from 15 companies
        (Invitations were sent to the unions to organize
        participants beforehand.)
     3) Contents:
        - Lecture 1: Political trends and the direction of the
          democratic labor union movement
        - Lecture 2: Current state of women workers and the
          nature of women's issues
        - Rest time: "Night of Unity"
        - Small group discussion: Discussion on the topic
          "Understanding the problems in securing the right to
          permanent and equal work for women workers and
          analyzing the reasons for this reality"
        - Lecture 3: Training on producing more persuasive and
          effective publicity (based on focused situations such
          as fighting disguised bankruptcies and securing legal
          measures for maternity protection)
        - Presentation of activities: Reports on 3 unions in
          which women were the main force in resolving
          employment-related issues in the workplace
        - Discussions with senior activists: Presentation of
          the union experiences of 3 senior activists and their
          efforts to resolve the problems of women workers,
          followed by collective discussions
        - Small group discussion: Determination of concrete
          activities by company and region for the next year

   * Accomplishments:
     1) These programs helped union leaders form health working
        attitudes and strengthen union activities.
     2) Union leaders were able to form a better understanding
        of women's issues.
     3) Various workplace struggles concerning discriminatory
        wages, job security, maternity protection, and
        workplace daycare centers were successfully organized.

   * Future tasks: There is a need to develop more diverse educational programming and practically oriented organizational activities focusing on resolving the worsening problem of unstable employment for women workers.

2. Education for un-unionized workers
   * Objectives:
     1) To raise general social consciousness and awareness of
        women's issues among women workers
     2) To encourage organization of workers in un-unionized
        worksites
   * Method:
     1) Women's enrichment lectures, held twice a month
     2) Monthly Women's Day activities include education on
        social issues related to politics, economics, and
        society, as well as education on women's labor
        policies, sexual violence, comfort women, and regional
        women's movements.
     3) Small group gatherings are held among un-unionized
        workers and training given in regards to labor laws,
        women's issues, and methods of labor union formation.

   * Methods of organizing: In order to incorporate the participation of workers, letters requesting cooperation are sent to labor unions and organizations, and posters and leaflets are distributed in public places.

   * Example: The Sixth and Seventh Women's Enrichment Lecture
              Series, held in 1993
     1) Sixth Women's Enrichment Lecture Series
        - Time: Aug.18 & 25, Sept.1, 1993, at the Kuro
          Industrial Complex Welfare Center
        - Theme: Women's issues and social structures
        - Lectures: 1.Socialization processes for men and women
                    2.Distortions in gender consciousness:
                      Causes and social structures
                    3.Securing permanent, equal employment for
                      working women
        - Participants: Avg. 65 (all women) each session
     2) Seventh Women's Enrichment Lecture Series
        - Time: Nov. 25-26, 1993 in the lecture hall of the
          Women's Welfare Center
        - Theme: Towards a more beautiful love and sexuality
        - Lectures: 1.Physiology of love and sexuality
                    2.Psychology of love and sexuality
        - Participants: Avg. 50 (one-third men) each session

   * Accomplishments and future tasks:
     1) Women workers' consciousness regarding women's issues was raised through out grassroots education.
     2) However, as a result of general changes in workers' consciousness and the decline in the labor movement, participation in these lectures dropped.  There is an urgent need now to develop new educational programming and more varied and effective media-based visual materials.
     3) Beginning with this understanding, this year we developed an additional women's lecture series intended to respond to the changing tastes of working women.  The new series is entitled, "College for the New Generation," and includes computer instruction, English conversation, and Japanese conversation.
     4) In order to improve upon our media techniques, which relied on slide shows in the past (Women's History, When the Hen Crows, The History of Women Workers' Struggles, Soon-young's Love Story), we are now discussing with professional organizations to begin developing videotapes as educational materials.

3. Programming for activists
   * Objectives: The programs aim to help activists foster their skills in their various sites of activity (factories, daycare centers, and labor organizations), as well as to strengthen organizational activities.

   * Methods:
     1) Training program for activists, held 4 times a year
     2) Women's School, entitled "Education on Women's Issues,"
        held once a year

   * Example: Sixth Women's School, held in 1993
     1) Time: 1993, Feb. 13 (Sat) - 14 (Sun) (1 night, 2 days)
     2) Participants: Total 27, including 5 labor union leaders
        and 6 women staff of labor organizations (Official
        invitations were sent to unions and labor organizations
        to gather participants.)
     3) Contents:
        - Lecture 1: History of debates on women's liberation
          theory
        - Lecture 2: Women's policies and the women's movement
          in the Soviet Union and Sweden
        - Small group discussion: Exchange of activists'
          experiences
        - Lecture 3: The regional women's movement: A new
          chapter in the women's movement
        - Lecture 4: The current state of and future tasks for
          the women's labor movement in Korea
        - Overall discussion: Finding ways to integrate women's
          everyday lives in the women's movement
        - Evaluation and ending ceremony

   * Example: Activist training, held in 1994
     - Time: June 12, 1994 (Sun)
       (One-day training selected because participants were
       mostly married women.)
     - Participants: 31 activists with over 2 years of factory-
       based activities experience
     - Contents:
       * Lecture: Attitudes and character of activists (plus
         question and answer period)
       * Training 1: Small group management
         - Includes training on opening ceremonies, group
           consciousness,running discussions on readings, human
           relations training
         - Attendants directly participate in discussions
           concerning current issues and note areas that can be
           applied in their own trainings.
       * Training 2: Creating and running educational programs
         - Participants are divided into groups in order to carry out detailed discussions concerning education on small group formation.  The themes discussed include topics of educational programs, lecturers, class instruction methods, publicity methods, executive committee composition, and self-management board composition.  The results of the discussion are written up and presented.
       * Critiques and overall evaluation

   * Evaluations:
     1) The participating women activists were able to develop a greater awareness of women's issues and strengthen their activities through concentrated training.
     2) Trainees went beyond their current roles as grassroots leaders and became recipients of education.  This gave them a chance to reflect upon theie activities of the past.
     3) As activists in diverse areas participated, the training gave them an opportunity to exchange experiences and Athink collectively about organizational methods.

   * Future tasks: The discussions and results that came out of the training program must be put into concrete practice and reflected in organizational activities.

Session III

   In May 1992, a small group gathering was created with four women workers from un-unionized companies or factories with yellow unions, wanting to get involved in organizing activities (the four came from four different companies in the electronics, garment, and food processing industries).
   Our first task was to run a four-month educational programming on women's issues.  Topics included reasons for education on women's issues, the nature of the women's issue, women's issues within capitalism, discrimination against women (practical task 1), maternity protection (practical task 2), employment issues (practical task 3), daycare (practical task 4), the history of the Korean women's movement, the history of women workers' labor struggles, the history of the SWWA, and the role and attitudes of SWWA members.
   Secondly, we ran a six-month educational course on workers' philosophy, modern Korean history, and the capitalist economic structure.
   Following our first and second rounds of basic courses, the women were encouraged to participate in SWWA's various education and training programs in order to foster their basic attitudes and skills.
   One of these women subsequently formed a preparatory committee to form a democratic labor union at her company, and is currently active as a core member.  Another formed small group gatherings for workers, teaching poongmul (traditional Korean folk instruments) and labor laws.  Another worker, who was active before her marriage, currently has completed her maternity leave and has found another job in a garment factory.

Session IV

- Book: What is the nature of women's issues?
- KWWAU news magazine: Working Women, volumes 20 and 21
- Materials from the Fourth National Seminar for Women Labor
  Union Leaders
- Poster and leaflets, "College for the New Generation"
- Materials from training programs targetting women leader
  organizers
- Training programming concerning small group activities
- Plans and publicity flyers for Mother's Day activities

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4) Asian Regional Workshop for the ILO Convention Statement from Korea (MAR1995)
kwwa  2002-10-28 13:38:56, 조회 : 48

It is needed that ILO agreement like the following statement should to adopted to protect the fundamental human rights for home based workers.


1. In order to protect the basic human rights for home based workers, it is necessary to introduce the 'minimum piece rates system.'
The 'minimum piece rates system' should be decided in this manner. Firstly, home based workers should be able to make living from their earnings. Secondly, they should be paid equally as regular employees in the same field.

1. Long hours of working should be prohibited.
Long hours of working by married women should not be allowed not only for women themselves but also for maternity protection. Their working hours should not exceed working hours of regular employees. In Korea, working hours of home based workers should not be over 7 hours per day.

1. Overdue payments should be checked.
For this, it needs to distribute a special notebook for  home based workers. The notebook will record a processing on commission and terms and conditions of work. A legislative bill is demanded to secure payments of home based workers in case of bankruptcy.  

1. Home based workers' damages caused by a lack of work load as well as irregular work order should be improved.  
To prevent damages from the changes of work order and the urgent time limit for products, employers should give an advance notice to home based workers.

1. A measure to improve bad working conditions should be necessary.
A strong measure is needed to prohibit the commissioned work by home based workers when there is a use of dangerous machines or harmful materials. It should be mandatory to install a ventilation fan or safety device. Moreover, home based workers should be allowed to have a regular health checkups freely and industrial disaster insurance in a certain area of work which contains a high possibility of inducing a disease or industrial disaster.

1. A legislative bill related with home based workers should be introduced to protect their basic rights.
The bill should contain problems of minimum piece rates, overdue payments, lack of work load, irregular work order, and dangerous working conditions. The government and companies should make best efforts to enforce such a bill.  

1. The government's basic policy which requires to regularize
Home based workers are working in worse conditions than
regular factory workers.  Futhermore, most of them want to work at home because simultaneously they can do household  works and childcare. In order to use home based workers as industrial force actively, the government should expand childcare facilities and give financial assistance for educational expenses.
To expand the areas of working field, active vocational training should be implemented.  


Korean Women Workers Associations United

         Lee Young-soon


Korean Women Associations Democracy Sisterhood
        
         Lee Kum-la
        
         Lee Kyung-sook
        
         Chung Kang-ja

1995.3.15.
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3) Asian Regional Workshop for the ILO Convention Report of The Present Situation
kwwa  2002-10-28 13:37:32, 조회 : 49

The Present Situation of Home Based Workers in Korea

There are not many materials on the reality of home based workers in Korea, because labor movements have been organized focusing on regular employees and large companies.
The following is provided by the Korean Women's Development Institute. It implemented a survey from June 25th to July 4th in 1989. Among the 103 low income areas, 20 of them were randomly selected. A total of 8,050 married women were responded. The survey also included interviews.  

1. General Characteristics of home based workers
1) Most of them are married women. Because they can work at the same time do household work and childcare. Their income will be helpful. However, they are not able to find any suitable job. 75% of respondents answered that they do home based work because they can simultaneously do household works.
2) 85.6% of respondents thought that their income will be helpful for living.
3) 34.2% of women had one child, less than 6 years old.
   90.6% of women had one child, less than 18 years old.
Taking care of children and family work is the priority for women regardless of their job. Even though there are economic demands in low income families, it is a difficult decision for women to work.  

2. Employment Situation of Home Based Workers
1) Mostly they work in export-oriented industries such as garments, textile, toy, and bag.
2) Mostly they work in simple and labor intensive areas which  an automation process cannot secure any profits.
3) Types of home base work
Processing parts and components of industrial products-67.9%
Processing some parts and making handicraft - 2.2%
Simple handiwork   - 29.8%
Home based workers are new form of laborers. They are much flexible and give satisfaction to the labor-intensive and export-oriented industries. Therefore, it is expected that many married women will be involved in home based works in the near future.

3. Skill and Necessary Equipment of home base workers
1) Home based workers pay their own working expenses or buy some necessary parts by themselves.
2) 28.9% of respondents answered that their job require a specific  skills. However, 71.1% of them do not need any skills.
3) 94.2% of respondents suggested to the necessity of acquiring skills and technique. Most of them obtained skills through their past experiences or apprentice ship works. 5.8% from private institutes.    
4) There are pay differences due to their skills.


4. Working Hours and Days
1) In 1987, a home based worker worked 7.7 hours a day and 167.2 hours a month(67.1% of a regular employee) on the average. A regular women employee in a small factory worked 246.1 hours a month on the average.
2) 32.2% of respondents worked over 25days a month.
Unlike regular workers, they have flexible working hours, however, due to the low cost of product as well as low family income, there are severe limitations to handle the work. Obviously home based work is not a side job in terms of working hours.

5.Piece Rates
1) They are paid by a piece. (unit or piece price x amount of product a day) There is no rational system of management. Whole working process is controlled by capital.
2) Average monthly earning- 104,893 won
  52.8% of a regular woman employee's income in the manufacturing sector
  26.2% of a male worker's income in the equal field
3) Payment Method
Payment is calculated by a piece, however, 82.3% of them are paid monthly. No preventive measures against overdue payments.  

6. Employment and Working Condition
1) Introduced by neighbors 68.2%
   Found a job directly     14%
2) Work at home       93%
(They usually worked at near their houses, neighbors, or a person's house who provided works.)  

7. Poor Quality Products and their handling method
1) 33.1% of work did not have any defaults.
   Because home based workers took only simple and labor  
   intensive work.    
2) 24.4% of respondents should repay for a poor quality product.
   They received a new material and made it again. Or they did
   it with their own expenses.

8. Difficulties of home based workers
1) Low pay
2) Not enough work
3) Bad working conditions
4) Urgent time limit of work(Need to prepare work orders upon  
   business cycles.)
5) High labor intensity
Posted by KWWA
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2) Asian Regional Workshop for the ILO Convention Recommendations (MAR1995)
kwwa  2002-10-28 13:36:40, 조회 : 49

Recommendations from the Asian Regional Workshop for the ILO Convention

Recommendations covered the following points:

1. Definitions

(a) the term "home-based work" should mean work carried out by a person, to be referred to as home-based worker,

(i) in his or her home or in other premises [not being the premises under the control and management of the employer] he or she has chosen;

(ii) for remuneration;

(iii) which results in a product or service as specified by the employer, whether the equipment, materials or other inputs used are provided by this person, the employer or the intermediary,

and includes a person who works on his or her own account with or without the help of the family and who does not employ other workers.

(b) the term "employer" should mean a person, natural or legal, who, either directly or through an intermediary, gives out home-based work.

(c) the term "intermediary" means a person who undertakes to produce for the employer a given result by executing the work through a home-based worker or home-based workers and includes any further intermediaries under him or her.

2. Social Protections

Social protection should meet all the needs of the individuals which cannot be met by their own efforts or out of their own resources. The primary need is for an income which is adequate to meet the basic needs of the persons. In the case of a person who is able to work, this need can be met by providing him or her with work. In the case of home-based workers who already have some kind of work but lack the assurance of a regular income, a mechanism has to be created by which they may be assured of regular income, a mechanism has to be created by which they may be assured of regular income on a continuing basis. One of the ways of providing work to those who are unemployed or under-employment to supplement the income they earn by working for another employer.

Work sheds should be built for the workers to work in more congenial environment. There should be an unemployment insurance scheme to provide means of livelihood when a person is thrown out of employment for no fault of his or her own until he or she secures alternative employment.

The worker should be assured of wages adequate for a decent living in accordance with the principle of equal pay for equal work by collective bargaining through trade unions or any other organization acting on behalf of the workers.

The following other benefits should also be provided:

1. Preventive and curative health care during illness, accidents, maternity and occupational disease

2. Disability benefit

3. Old-age benefit

4. Maternity benefit

5. Provident fund

6. Survivors' benefit

As most of the home-based workers are women with family responsibilities, day-care centres should be established at convenient locations for looking after the children of working mothers.
Children should not be allowed to work. Facilities should be provided for their education. They should also be paid scholarships.

Bonus or gratuity should be paid to the workers on the basis of the number of years of service rendered.

Home-based workers should be given preference for regular employment whenever vacancy arises in the order of seniority.

Home-based workers should be provided with subsidised housing or assistance in building their own houses.

Provision of these benefits will involve heavy cost. The cost of providing these benefits can be met from contributions from all the three parties, the government making up any deficit.

An autonomous organisation with participation of beneficiaries may be set up for administration of these schemes. Alternatively co-operatives may be formed in the nature of mutual benefit societies whereby each member makes a contribution for the benefit of all.

3. Implementation and tripartite mechanism

. In order to protect homebased workers from poverty disease and illiteracy and to eliminate the prevailing bonded labour and child labour conditions and migration to improve their quality of life and to reduce the disparity between organised and unorganised sector, it is necessary for each country to constitute an authority categorywise at National, Regional, and Local levels, tripartite in character to enable workers involvement at the level of implementation.

. The authority will perform the following functions :

1) Compulsory registration of employers and workers

2) Regulation of employment

3) Wage determination, revision, monitoring

4) Inspection, and enforcement of occupational health and safety measures

5) To institute and collect levy for purposes of social security and welfare

6) Delivery of social security and welfare

7) Dispute resolution

8) Promotion of co-operatives

. The authority would be tripartite in character, with workers' representative democratically elected by registered workers and with proportional representation of women

. Devolution of powers and resources to local regional and sectoral levels should be ensured

. In the cases of repeated violations of occupational health and safety and other legal stipulations by employers, the authority would encourage and assist the workers to constitute co-operatives and take over the units and run them viably.

. The authority may also be empowered to evolve policies for protection of home-based sector especially in traditional industries in the context of the globalisation and structural adjustment with a view to protect the employment of home-based workers, the majority of whom are women.

. Each country shall legislate suitably for the constitution of the authority and for the fulfillment of the above objects.
Posted by KWWA
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