[vol.5] Report_International Women's Day (March 8): The 11th Korean Women's Rally - "Celebration for women and men voters"

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 2. 1. 10:34
International Women's Day (March 8): The 11th Korean Women's Rally - "Celebration for women and men voters"

On March 12th in early spring, I attended the, "Celebration for women and men voters" and became so excited I forgot about how cold it was. Photos which were on display around the venue showing violence against women in the home made people who were just passing by serious. In another place the Korean Society for Democracy and Sisterhood, an housewives' cultural group, presented a drama where women were clumsily dancing with their babies and lives on their backs. To see this drama gave us strength.

Sunny smile of members of Women Workers Association who participate in the "Men and Women Votes Rally"

3.8 International Women's Day was established to commemorate the fact that many American women workers who worked in the textile industry died miserably in bad working conditions. Now in many countries this day has become a big event, with whole family participation.

However in Korea it has not yet reached this level. Nevertheless in Korea it has developed from women's struggles, demands, and assembly to become a festival of culture and solidarity.

In the first session each participating group introduced its role and activities, and raised and waved their banners, and a representative of each organisation introduced herself to everyone. This helped me to understand the other organisations.

Following this, there was an opening address by Han Myung-Sook, Co-representative of Korean Women Association United, who explained the slogan of the opening ceremony, "Let's send women candidates who propose open politics and life politics to the local elections".

Owing to the end of the Cold War Era, at the present time democracy is prevailing all over the world. Even in Korea democracy is developing out of the previously closed system of military authority dictatorship and chauvinism. In the 21th century, because of the importance of pursuing higher standards of living, public welfare in all areas will be a political issue.

Nowadays the political participation of women is positive and highly encouraging. From a logical point of view, the slogan, "Let's guarantee 20% participation of women in the Local Councils!" was created. In the next session three people explained their own experience of political participation. Each person was limited to three minutes each but their presentations impressed me more than any other theoretical claims. However the highlight of this year will be the "Announcement of fourteen women candidates who are earnest workers in local community"! They have already achieved solutions to many local problems while working hard in every area of this country, and will run for the local councils on behalf of their local community and women.

Isn't the political participation of these women a source of hope because they have strong careers and strong wills in their role as local workers? When some of the husbands of these fourteen candidates expressed their support of their wives in the elections, they were given a large round of applause.

When the "Celebration for men and women voters" declaration was read aloud, we shouted unanimously once again the slogan "Open politics and life politics, send women representatives to the Local Assembly!"

As I left the rally after three hours of participation, I said in spite of myself, "Politics is not a difficult thing!", "Let we women participate and make it more valuable for society!"

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[vol.5] Report_Attending the 1995 National Women Workers' Rally

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 2. 1. 10:32
Attending the 1995 National Women Workers' Rally
The 1995 National Women Workers' Rally was held on 11 March at Yonsei University organised by the preparatory committee of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). The focus of this rally was to promote lifetime equal employment for women at the workplace in remembrance of the 87th 3.8 International Women's Day. Five hundred people participated.

The event provoked new emotions because for the first time a women workers' rally was organised not by women workers but by the preparatory committee for the KCTU. The establishment of the KCTU this year has historical significance in the history of the Korean Labor Movement.

The meeting was divided into an anniversary ceremony and cultural events by women workers. During the anniversary ceremony, co-representative Park Yong-Mok indicated that the Government labor policies which emphasised globalization increased the severity of women's employment instability endangering the successful results of the struggles by women in the past over such issues as the abolition of women bank employees' system, and the establishment of gender equality in employment law.

He also suggested that the KCTU would provide a powerful forum, where all union members of the KCTU would solve the problems of women workers together. The co-chairperson of the National Trade Union of Professional Workers, Heo Chang, stressed that the reinforcement of women's solidarity through strengthening women committees and women offices was a short term way of solving women's problems, and that women and men must work together before the problems could really be solved.

Lee Young-Soon, a representative of KWWAU, also emphasized that the labor union movement had to reflect on its indifference, coolness and unco-operativeness with regards to women labor problems and criticized the short-sightedness of seeing women problems as splitting labor movements.

Above all, she emphasized that to be a potent organization for workers, the KCTU must do its best to address the women workers' problems which traditionally had always been treated as a secondary issue.

Next, Lee Jae-Sook, Korea head of women's section in the Telecom Labor Union, presented their demands to, "Enforce paid menstruation leave and child-rearing leave!", "Assure employment stability and employment equality for women!", "Enforce the establishment of workplace childcare centers and extend existing centres!", "Establish industrial unionism and the KCTU!" The strong presentation of these demands encouraged participants.

The play, "You are the professionalists", which was performed in the second part of the rally further inspired participants. In this play a female worker was given a huge round of applause from the participants in the rally when she represented a tired woman's reality in which she had to perform housework and outside work simultaneously. The 1995 National Women Workers Rally was closed with the performance of the musical "To the hopeful future".

No one can disagree that women workers have devoted themselves to the labor movement in a most tenacious and co-operative way. Nevertheless, employment instability which women workers face is caused by factors like the insufficiency of maternity protection, increasing use of dispatched workers and part-time employment, exclusion of job-training objectives. Until now the labor union movement has not dealt with these problems which all severly affect working conditions.

Through this 1995 National Women Workers rally, we reaffirmed that we would accomplish our goals for lifetime equal employment, overcoming the reality of employment instability. We all hope that the KCTU which will be launched this year will take an even more positive interest in and seek to find solutions for women workers' problems.

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[vol.4 ] Working Women Vol.4

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 2. 1. 10:32

Working Women Vol.4

March, 1995

Seeing the smiles of a child and a teacher in Triplets Children's House,
we pray for childcare enlarged by government in this year.

    Feature
    The 10th Photo Story on Women

    Voices from the Field
    Voices from the Arrested Railway Worker's Family

    A field report
    Restriction on External Features, A Violation of Men & Women Equal Employment Law

    Planning
    Automation Influence Towards Women Workers

    Women are changing, the world is shifting
    Environment Lady Lee Yeon-rhee

    Letter from the shop floor
    Shoulder Pain or Paralysis is the Obvious Occupation Disease

    Advocacy
    Reality of Gender Discrimination in the Labor Union

    Poem
    When there is time to pull down, there is time to build

    Korea Working Women's Network 1997
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[vol.4] Poem_When there is time to pull down, there is time to build

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 2. 1. 10:31
When there is time to pull down, there is time to build

It's not a road if you can't go
It's not a door if you can't open
It's not a wall if you can't pull down
It's not a river if you can't cross


Share happiness and sorrow
Walk step by step for a long way
Walk a way, Walk a way
Walk a way of the liberated world


Have an opportunity as much as we work
Get paid as much as you work
Share the things as much as you have
Walk a way, walk a way of the equal world


Take a rest when you walk a rugged mountain road
Make your way when you tread a thorny path
Build a new road and go when a road comes to a dead end
Walk a way, walk a way of the free world


Seek a new path, go straight along the just way of a struggle
Walk a way, walk a way of the unified world
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[vol.4] Advocacy_ Reality of Gender Discrimination in the Labor Union

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 2. 1. 10:30
Reality of Gender Discrimination in the Labor Union

  1. Why this issue of gender discrimination in the labor union is raised as a problem?

    The government has focused on the practice of gender equality in employment among the women labor policy.

    Since the Labor Department has carried out self-inspection on it for two years, and collective bargaining agreement on it has been revised, however there are still a lot of cases of unequal treatment to male and female workers.

    The union itself is the most powerful group to solve this issue, but there are lots of practice of gender inequality even inside the union. We want to point about right this.

    Because, if the gender discrimination in the union doesn't be disappeared, then we can't demand to the government or company regarding this issue. Another facts, the westem labor union movement which women built up their independent union excluding men, also is warning to our labor union movement. We point this, too.

    In the women academy, it has been already discussed the necessity of women labor union. Now, gender discrimination can not be covered any more.

    'Working Women' reveals the reality of gender discrimination in the labor union case by case. This is to develop practicing gender equality and labor union movement in Korea.

    Thanks to women union leadership who helped us in this writing.

  2. Gender Politics in the Labor Union

    1. The story from the women leadership in the labor union in the large company

      I'm only one woman 'n 'he union leadership. In the leadership training meeting, I proposed to publish 'Women Newsletter'. There was no immediate reaction from others.

      So l tried to produce the Women Newsletter, then the men opposed to do it. And when l introduced a few times about the Equa1 Employment Law between male and female in the union newsletter, the men reacted 'it seems union is only for women'. When I got a wage increase for women (very big gap between male's and female's wage) then the men reacted like that, too.

      The other day, two women went to overseas training. It was the first time for women to go there since the establishment of union. In the past, there was no women participants, because the men said , after coming back from overseas training, women easily leave the company. Even as for the new-enterers training program, we can't offer the education on women."

      Women are taking hardness in struggling against the company, however she has been faced a lonely struggle on such a discrimination against women inside the union. She is trying to organize regular women workers meeting, and to share with another women 1eadership from different companies.

    2. Women's consciousness-raising is it threatening to the labor union?

      "Why this consciousness-raising program, which is to increase women's awareness and solve the problems in the shop floor, has been opposed by men leadership in the union?

      Although the men leadership receive an invitation for women from the Federation of Labor Union, they don't pass it to the women leadership. The Federation sends an invitation for women participants to about 800 unions, then only two women comes."

      "It's very hard to organize an education program for women leadership which just once a year. It was opposed by men because of financial problem. Women have to struggle for organizing that once a year against men in the union. This kind of split in the union is beneficial only to company."

    3. Instability of Employment has not been a main issue in the union.

      Though the temporary workers have been increased day by day, the instability of employment issue can be less important than the issues of wage or welfare.

      Besides, the temporary workers are excluded on in the struggle. If men is employed on working hours base, and cannot join in the union because of that, then, how the men will react on it?

      If tens of thousand workers in the rub industry became an unemployed in a day, and if they are all men, then? It's very heart-breaking situation. It must been the issue for the labor union movement. Since the women have been experienced such crisis of emp1oyment in first hand, this case has been reduced or excluded in a labor movement.

    4. Don't hurry, you have to wait for one thousand years to get a gender equality?

      In a bank labor union, 1993, when women union members demanded same wage level with men who have high school background, men took a group action like going out from the union. It should be confirmed for women to get a full working years.

      During working hours, men had a sit-in strike in the labor union office to oppose the confirmation of women's full working years. At the end, women's demand was ignored.

      In a manufacturing company, l993, the retirement age for men was 55 years old, and was 52 years old for women before the change of collective bargaining agreement. In the past, a woman called a suit against the unjust retirement age, and she won the suit.

      And another two women were reinstated after forced-retirement. However, during the retirement the wage was not paid to two women, so now it's on a suit again. One of women union leadership who consulted for these two women had been threatened by men leadership.

      In case of male dominated union. and its leadership is all men, if a woman is ful1- time based member, then the primary work for her is like a secretary or an errand girl, In spite of her will to devote for the union work, she was regarded as a girl for copy, coffee and cleaning. In case of female dominated union, there is no such a case.

      In one electronic company in Seou1, the union got a collective bargaining agreement after 20 times of negotiation on having a day care center inside the company. It was a result by campaign and various organized activities.

      However, it was faced to men's opposition. After the company agreed to have a day care center but didn't confirmed the time of establishment. It was because of men's reaction against the women's activities.

      Finally, women won. It was a motivation for men and women to aware that child caring is socia1 responsibility and motivation for men and women solidarity.

  3. Male Oriented Labor Union and its Limitation

    If women get more then men get less, it is true? If a men leadership who do democratic support for the women's activities, then they are isolated by other men. Then, the union struggle is not whether it's yellow or genuine, but whether it's for men or for women?

    The idea of men's dominated union activities has been intensified by division of male and female work, and by family wage ideology. Beyond this economic ways of thinking, the society also goes for men against women.

    If the labor union which is public for the social equality takes actions on gender discrimination, then union is getting far away from women. Women's leadership will be weak. At last, this leads union to have a weak organizing of labor power. Furthermore, it makes delay practice of equality in this land.

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[vol.4] Letter from the shop floor_Shoulder pain or paralysis is the obvious occupation disease

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 1. 30. 18:34

Shoulder pain or paralysis is the obvious occupation disease

Ms. Hwang Ki-ok, Daewoo Electronics in Kwang-ju

Got heavy shoulder pain after 8 years of working

I have worked in the micro-wave section of the Daewoo Electronics, Kwangju factory for 8 years and three months. The factory is located in Hanam Industrial Estate in Kwangju region.

Since the factory rationalization has been proceeded, the labor intensity has been strong because of shortening the length of working line, reduction of the working process and reduction of workers. So, most of workers who have worked there for more than 6~7 years are doing just simple labor intensive works.

At that time, I was one of the representative committee members, and l distributed a leaflet saying that shoulder paralysis should be regarded as an occupational disease. As for the company, since they didn't want to make any trouble, they started to survey on the people in microwave working line. Some workers including myself were checked by a doctor.

However, there was no further follow-up. The company just said to us 'Wait' so, we asked to the industrial disease insurance center about the check-up result. It says 22 workers are all 'Ieve1-C', among them 5 workers should be transferred to another working line.

Asked for the sick leave due to the occupational disease

The workers who should be transferred to another working line applied an industrial disease case, and demanded all union members to be checked by a doctor. And working environment such as unsuitable chair and working board must be changed, they demanded, as well.

The company, finally, decided to let workers be checked in the clinic, and promised to allow workers not to work during the treatment period. However, production line still forced to workers to be on line, there was no further reaction from the clinic. Therefore we, workers handed out application for leave by industrial disease, and asked to company to sign on lt.

The company threatened workers

The company showed us one document from the Office of Labor Affairs. The document reads 'These people are required a recheck-up after four weeks. Although they apply an industrial disease leave, the Labor Department wouldn't take it.'

And the office management added they are extremely busy because of leg-broken or arm-broken, patients shoulder pain is not serious problems. We checked to the Office of Labor Affairs whether the document in true or not, however it was proved to be a false. How angry !

Based on these stories, we sent a petition to the Office of Labor Affairs, but the company threatened those workers who signed in the petition. Finally l was left alone. I was forced to move out from this clinic. Although I appealed to the clinic about my pain, but they refused my request of detail check-up.

I will continue to fight for this case

At this moment, I gave up to be treated my shoulder pain and returned to work. I requested to management for 3 days to move my working line, but it was ignored. In this process union members encouraged me to move my working line.

I will really accomplish this case which shoulder pain (or even paralysis) should be regarded as an occupational disease.

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[vol.4] Women are changing, the world is shifting_Environment lady Lee Yeon-rhee

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 1. 30. 18:30
Environment lady Lee Yeon-rhee
(She took initiative in a struggle against building a waste-burning facilities)

Oct, 26th, 1992, 150 neighbors in Samjung dong, Puchun City, gathered at the Center of the Village. It was a sign of resolution that they have to do something on power plant construction. A dangerous and harmful waste-burning facilities as well as power plant will be constructed in that village, therefore their struggle has been lasted for more than one year.

Lee Yeon-rhee, 48 year-old lady who was elected as a chairman of the 'Counter Activities Council against the Construction of Waste Burning Facilities' lost her parents during the Korean War. Since then, she had to survive through hard living. Owing to her diligence and saving, she could buy a house after she got married.

She entered the Pico company to earn more money. However, the company owner ran away to the U.S. without paying wages for the workers. So she joined in the labor union leadership and kept on her struggle against the unjust treatment to the workers. At the time of almost ending Pico struggle. Samjung dong issue was raised.

Although there have been lots of disturbing things, finally the people could get a detai1 information about the power plant. More shocking facts are; huge waste burning facilities will be constructed near the on going power plant. And cargo parking lot and factory apartment will be constructed, too.

Moreover, dioxide will come out from the waste burning facilities. It is very fatal harm to human. However, there is no prevented measures suggested.

Since the people knew the facts, they elected a chairman and sent a petition to many groups opposing the construction of waste burning facilities.

In fact, Puchun City have carried out the construction of waste burning facilities on the basis of the fact that Puchun citizens dump their waste 1 ,750 ton (2.5kg per one person), a day. But, the actual amount of waste is 75O ton (1 .2kg per one person)s day, and has been getting decreased in rea1.

Lee Yeon-rhee realized that recycling waste is more important than burning waste in order to make green environment. And she had a strong belief of; construction costs for the waste burning facilities can be used for the construction of recycling waste factory.

Apri1, 1993, through the church environments institutes, she had an opportunity to visit around the Japanese waste burning facilities. It was introduced by a human rights organization in Japan. She could have an idea on how waste is recycled. After visitation, she presented useful cases to many people. At last, the construction of waste burning facilities was stopped for the time being.

Puchun City organized an open forum inviting experts on environment. Sep. 17th 1993, the people organized a demonstration in front of city ha11, however about 50 people including Lee were arrested by the police. Many people visited her in a jai1 in order to give her a hope. She was very sorry to her daughter not to take care of her. Her husband didn't visit her even once, because he opposed to her activities since she joined in the Pico struggle.

When she was released from the jai1, it was Nov. 30th, the day of her daughter's entrance examination for university. After release from the jai1, she found the construction of waste burning facilities has been confirmed, but she didn't just sit down. She found the 'Green Village Committee' on March 5th, 1994 with her neighbors who joined in the struggle.

After a result of struggle, the committee could have a welfare center, where there are swimming p001, recycling waste facilities, day care center, study room, wedding hall, conference room and sports facilities. And the committee is preparing for a public hearing on evaluation of environment influence and for inspection of the waste burning facilities.

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[vol.4] Planning_Automation Influence Towards Women Workers

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 1. 30. 18:29
Automation Influence Towards Women Workers

KWWAU has launched the research project on 'Automation influence towards Women Workers' in Korea with New Technology Institute of UN University.
The factory automation in Korea is well behind, especially much lower in the labor intensive industries where women workers are dominated.

However, the automation will be increased, and it's not always positive ways to the women workers. therefore, the government policy on automation should be changed in order to develop national economy and improve the women workers' rights.

On the basis of this, the survey project has been started from July, 1994, and is still going on process expanding to Asia Pacific region. The 'Working Women' opens a space for the reseach so far to spread concerns on automation

Research Objects

29 factories from 5 industries were taken as a research objects such as pharmaceuticals, foods, electronics, garments and textile sections. They are female-dominated and are being proceeded their automation.

Questionnaire and interviews were implemented for the research.

Table 1)
objective industry (For questionare)


 P F G E T Total
No. of cases 3 4 2 6 14 29
P : pharmaceuticals F : Foods G : Garment E : Electronics T : Textile

Table 2)
Factory Scale (For questionare)


 P F G E T Total
Large
(over 500 workers)		 1 2 0 2 10 15
Medium-small
(less 500 workers)		 2 2 2 4 4 14

Also, this research covered a survey on women workers' individual case, which is 175 workers from five industries, 31 factories.

Table 3)
Individual survey


P F G E T Total
No. of cases 98 9 3 11 56 175

Result Analysis 1.
Based on factory survey

  1. Automation machines equipment and dealing with old machines

    In the case of foods industries, three factories among the four responded that they transferred the old machines to subcontract factories, which means high rates of sub-contracting in this industry.

    In Electronics, the factories which responded that they transferred their plants to overseas were three among the five. It means high rates of overseas transformation.

    Especially, the responded factories have exported over 70% of their products. Since they have depended on a low wage and export-oriented policy, they become a loser in the international competition. That's why they want to move their plants to overseas.

    In textile, six factories transferred their old machines to overseas and set up automation machines in a newly-built factory.

  2. Introduction of Automation machines and Sub-contract

    Increase of subcontract is one of the serious problems related with women employment in Korea. In case of garments, large companies do just design and sale, hence the production is given to subcontracts. Textile and electronics are also giving the production to other countries which has lower wage level than Korea.(In 1993, materials-export, processed goods-import for processing deal trade had been increased to 114.7% from 97.4% in 1989.)

  3. Influence of Automation

    i) Automation and Production increase 25 factories responded that the production was increased due to the automation introduction.

    ii) Automation and employment change Since the automation, the total number of workers were decreased, 20 factories responded.

    Table 4)
    Factory Scale (For questionare)


    		 Group reduction Resignation No recruit after resignation No answer
    p

    		1 2
    F
    		1 2 1
    G

    		1 1
    E 1 1 5
    T 3 5 1
    Total 1 5 14 5

    While the employment reduction is done naturally, there are many cases that the company reduced the number of workers by force. This is mainly to weaken the labor union by the company. For example. the pharmaceuticals pushed their workers (who were transferred to other factory to set up GMP-Good Manufacturing Practice-facilities) to pick up the grass in the garden. This is the way to suppress union members. The company employed temporary workers, as well.

    iii) Automation and labor intensity

    To the question of how the labor intensity was changed since automation, the response were like; 5 factories-much stronger. 15- stronger, 4-no changes. It means the labor intensity were stronger than before in all industries. Especially, the electronics has been much stronger than other industries.

    Table 5)
    Factory Scale (For questionare)


    		 Much stronger stronger No change Weaker No answer
    p 1 2


    F
    		3
    		1
    G
    		1 1

    E 4 1 1

    T
    		8 2 1 3
    Total 5 15 4 2 3

    iv) Automation and Characteristics of Women's Work

    Since the introduction of automation machine, men's work has been replaced by women (4 factories). Women, even though, replaced the men's work, however, the wage level didn't change, because of the deep-rooted sexual discrimination in the Korean society.

    Yet, there is an another possibility of solving the division of male & female's role provoked by the sexual discrimination. In the case of one garments, in the past everybody believed that cutting cloth work is given to men with CAM which is connected with CAD.

    But after the automation process, women could do the work, too. It was done by automation machine of the CAM and computer.

    However, since 80% of garments factories are poor and has less than O.I billion won of total capita1. Therefore, it was not easy to introduce such an expensive machine. The cost of automation facilities like CAD, CAM is over two billion won.

    v) Automation and work environment

    The problems caused by automation machine to the workers are; stronger labor intensity- 16 factories mental stress - 10 factories isolation by lack of contact with coworkers-9 factories bored by simple working _8 factories

  4. Automation and Counter activities between Labor and Management

    The company intention of automation is like;
    production improvement -25
    reduction of production costs _23
    lack of labor- 16
    balances quality -9
    various kinds & low quantity _7
    reduce the danger and difficulty of the Work-3
    effective labor management_3

    Before the introduction of automation machines, only three companies had informed to the workers about it, but the others didn't. Even those three companies has just informed to labor union without any negotiation process.

    Regarding the counter activity of the union to the company, the union answered; three have a plan, I5 have no plan. and 9 have no answer. The labor union can't approach to the company management, and also it shows that the awareness of the labor union on automation is very weak.

  5. Automation and Government Policy

    As for the government policy on automation, the workers responded; wage-increase on account of labor intensity (14), job training for new technology (13), pre-negotiation about the automation introduction (3), no-division of male and female work (3).

Result Analysis 2.
Based on Individual Interview

Table 6)
Factory Scale (For questionare)


 Yes No No answer
p 9 87
F 4 5
G 1 1 1
E 2 9
T 27 29
Total 43 131 1

  1. The nature of automation work and the level of education and training

    Mostly. women's work by the automation doesn't need any specific skill (special skill required-43. no need- I31). Only 11 workers had experience of job training, and 112 workers didn't. It means most of women are doing just simple and repeated work.

  2. Automation and work environment

    Among the responded workers, a quarter of them responded that the industrial diseases have been increased since the automation. As particular changes are; increase of noise-75, stuff feeling by high temperature-64 and lack of air circulation-29.

  3. Automation and Health

    Among the women who are working in the automation process feel their health problems except three women. The main problems are; neck and shoulder-83, finger and wrest-5 1, ankle and knee joint_46, stomach-35, constipation_28, bronchus-24, nervous breakdown- l6. back-14.

  4. Workers' awareness on the Automation

    Most of women workers have a negative evaluation on the automation (304). Regarding the positive evaluations (82) are; easy working process_37, improvement of work environment_20, increase of working favor_1 9, decrease of division of male andfemale work-7.

Demand to the government policy

  1. Remarkable changes of the government policy on industrial restructuring are required
  2. It is necessary to have a change in employment policy
  3. Solution of division of male and female work and expansion of job training are needed
  4. Institutional policy regarding the labor-management negotiation on the automation required.
  5. It should be intensified of supervising safety and health
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[vol.4] A field report_ Restriction on external features, A Violation of Men & Women Equal Employment Law

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 1. 30. 18:28
Restriction on external features, A Violation of Men & Women Equal Employment Law

On May 25th, Women's group, teachers' group and professors prosecuted 44 companies according to clause 6, Equa1 Employment Law(prohibit discrimination interns of recruiting and employment), clause 11 , article 1, Constitution (people's equal rights) and clues 32, article 4, Constitution (vio1ation of labor rights); those companies accepted the employment outline which have restriction in terms of beautiful looking favored person, height and weight.

Most of the prosecuted companies, have an appearance restriction such as '160cm~beautiful looking person required' or even less than 50kg person required. chohung Bank has a restriction like; 162~167cm, 1ess than 50kg.

Newcore Department Store; over 1 65cm. Samsung Industry; over l58cm excellency of beauty required. Jinro co.; over 158cm, no wearing glasses.

Since long time ago, the article on beautifu1 1ooking required has never been removed, is the end, how beautiful was the main point to hire her instead of her ability. Since this body condition is not related with working ability, so this restriction is totally violation of the law and discrimination against the women.

The prosecuted companies are; Hyundai Automobile, Kia Automobile, Hyosung Industry, Daewoo Telecommunication, Korea Housing Bank, Sinsegye and Midopa Department Store, etc.

According to a teacher in a commercial high school, worrren students are trying to have a diet or face-lifting in order to be picked up by a good company. They even take a medicine for urination or for diarrhea. These are all for diet.

The restriction against body condition causes many side problems in schoo1 education. Women are regarded as an 'office flower' and they are discriminated in terms of working line, training, education, wage and promotion.

When women are employed under such a beauty level, they are just caught up by simple or assistant labor intensive work, so this leads to low wage, which can be justified wage discrimination against women.

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[vol.4] Voices from the Field_ Voices from the arrested railway-worker's family

WORKING WOMAN 2008. 1. 30. 18:27
Voices from the arrested railway-worker's family

Lee Ju-hwan (arrested railway-worker's family)

"All the citizens are taking an unconvient transformation since subways and trains have not been moved because of the railway workers' strike."

It has been already forgot by the people that they had taked such an unconvenience at that time. However, the family members of the railway workers have kept such a hurts in their mind.
Though the strike has been finished, and it looks all right everything apparently, but there has been no concerns of comments from the massmedia the suffering of the workers and their family in ther work place and the home as well.

Therefore, 'Working Women' opens a space for sharing their hardness and hurts which the railway workers' family has been taken, and sharing how simple and minimizing their demands are.

Hardness of Hearing after 4 years working

I'm a wife of a train engineer working in a railway department. I, who have been married only for six months, can't believe that my husband has been arrested. When I got married him, I knew only he works as an engineer for the Semaeul Train, and didn't know his working conditions. Just l trust the saying 'Although it's very hard to live, the civil servants can have reasonable living conditions anyway.

By the way, when l visited his working place where the strike is going on, t could not help watching my husband's face with sadness. The work place is along the railroad from Yongsan Subway Station. I could just hear the noises from the train and subway, and 100k them which queue up waiting for its repairing.

Now t understand why he has hardness of hearing after 4 years since the train engineers are 24 hours shift working, he comes home every two day. There is no Sunday. When people enjoy their holiday, he is much busier than other days. We are always in panic. Besides, after dinner at 5 o'clock, there is no further meal served, so he has an instant noodle or just endure the hunger until he comes back home at lO~11 o'clock next morning. It means only two meals per day.

The Police arrest Workers before strike

When the workers family got together, we have shared more or 1ess similar stories, Especially, drivers' family appealed the hardness of irregular working schedule.

The husbands' demands were just simple No wage-increase! Just a little improvement of working conditions in order to have normal family living. The demands were 8 hours working in a day, one day off per week. However they were ignored and the husbands were put into jai1.

The railway workers stt the D-day, 27th, to have enough negotiating time, but the workers were arrested by the police even 4 days before the D-day. The police caught even off_ day workers who are scheduled to work next day.

So it became a strike. During the negotiation period, the Railway Department didn't join at the collective bargaining.
We, families, appealed to release the husbands and to have a talk. But the Railway Department and the government insisted on their illegal strike. At last, the police arrested the families who were on demonstration against the arrest in front of Kuro Railway station.

The government and other prominent people said that if the workers return to work, then they will have a talk to the workers. So, we tried to persuade the husbands, but the result was further arresting workers.

The families' appeal was turned away

On June 23rd, about 400 railway workers including my husband went to the Christian Center to ask the pastors to mediate such situation. However, at three o'clock on Sunday, 26th the police were thrown into the Center to make a mess there and arrest the husbands, How was it possible that the presbyter, President made such a decision to invade during worship. It has never been invade before even in the military regime.

Nevertheless, the massmedia has no concerns about our appeals, they broadcasted repeatedly 'everything became all right', there was no further news about our case. We, families walked and ran to appeal our demands.

We organized the Railway Workers Family Council, and sent our appeal letter to President, Cardinal Kim Su_hwan and other organizations. We visited the Railway Department for asking them to postpone the punishment against the husbands, and for appealing the husbands ' innocence.

While we visited them, we realized that the bureaucratized Railway Department and government are not our side. An we understood the husbands who couldn't have any opportunity on having negotiation.

Now, the leaders' committee is standing at the Jogye Temple to urge the workers ' innocence. In the Department. the disciplinary action against the workers has been going on, all of us are uneasy about what they are. Some workers who were canceled their position are cleaning window or garden, and writing a self-reflection paper by force. Although the arrested workers ' family have a regular meeting to spread its reality, however they faced to hardness of living. Through these kinds of activities, We've got love and friendship among us. And we will never forget lots of solidarity and love from the concerned people.

When this letter is published in this newsletter, I'm not sure situation will be changed. I just hope all the arrested workers will be released, and all the punished workers will be reinstated. And l hope they will have a serious and reasonable negotiation about the

Posted by KWWA
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