Women's power brings peace in the Northeast Asia! <Northeast Asian Women's Peace Conference>

'2008 Northeast Asian Women's Peace Conference' was held in Seoul and Kaesong between September 1 and 3, 2008,  in which women from 5 countries such as Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States participated. 

Major women society personages involved in women's and peace movement organizations from 3 Northeast Asian countries, the U.S.A. and Russia gathered together and agreed that the peace in the Korean Peninsula is directly linked to the peace in the Northeast and the world at the same time.

On September 1, 2008, a reception dinner was held under the theme entitled 'Night of Northeast Asian Women's Peace' and on the second day, September 2, theme presentations were made by countries and bull sessions were held by congresswoman and women's organization under the titles of 'Women talk about peace in the Northeast Asia' and 'direction of solidarity amongst international women for peace and unification in the Korean Peninsula.'

On September 2, in the opening ceremony, Lee Insik, Korean vice minister of women, Kerstin Greback, president of WILPF, Simiz Sumiko, former congresswoman belonging to the Japanese Socialist Party, and Rebedeva Nina Borisovna, a researcher of the Russian Science Academy Asian Institute, and Zen Hong, a coordinator of National NGO Publicity Department of China took part.  

In an afternoon bull session entitled 'Women talk about peace in the Northeast Asia' Zen Hong, a coordinator of National NGO Publicity Department of China highlighted the cooperation with UNIFEM,  the need for cultivating proper organizations and activists of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and  the importance of networks between NGOs in order to hold the six party conference hosted by civil organizations. 

Karen Rhie, secretary-general of NCNK stressed 'human exchanges are one of the most powerful devices for building peace and can be a basic unit for making common interest,' in the title of 'building peace in the Northeast Asia in the viewpoint of women from the U.S.A.'

She also mentioned that the exchanges can still be continued despite the political intrication, and that they can be seeds in future political processes.

On the other hand, participants from China, Japan, Russia and the U.S.A. had discussion prepared under the title of 'Women talk about peace in Northeast Asia.'

In the afternoon session, Jeong Hyunbaek, convention promotion committee chairwoman said "chances of women's participation and women's roles should be expanded in the peace-making process, and this is a process to implement the code of conduct declared in the Beijing International Women's Conference," in her presentation entitled 'the direction of international women's solidarity for peace-making in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.'

In addition, she stressed "Women should have chances for mutual communication through the Northeast Women's Peace Conference" and also suggested to regularize this conference and to make strong network.

In her presentation titled 'women's roles in peace-making process' Kerstin Greback, chairperson of WILPF underlined the main principle that 'peace has inseparable relations with gender equality and development' and mentioned that the effects on economic security and human stability should be considered to build peace in Northeast Asia. 

She emphasized "Women negotiators' participation in the 6 party talks is an important first step in bringing peace and security in Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia." and stressed "Sustainable peace can be made when women take part in negotiation and discussion processes."

On September 3, on the last day, participants visited Kaesong to hold closing ceremonies and adopted a joint statement as means of encouraging North Korea's participation.

In the political situation in which North Korea has decided to stop its nuclear disablement to justify the current situation in which the U.S.A. has deferred removing North Korea's position as a terror-supporting nation, extremely important are women's roles as reconcilers and peace-makers in building peace processes in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

Participants agreed that peace in the Korean Peninsula is directly related to peace in the Northeast Asia and at the same time, peace in the Northeast Asia directly connected with world peace, and felt the necessity of solidarity to realize peace in the world. Voices of women across the world will put pressure on and accelerate peace processes in each country, and participants gave their words that this conference should be continued as constant and regular meetings, just not a one-time and formal conference.

* This article was produced by the Women Making Peace.

2008 Northeast Asian Women's Peace Conference

September 1-3, 2008

in Seoul & Kaesong,

Joint Statement of the Participants  

<Joint Statement>

We, women from around the world, have gathered today hoping to bring peace and stability to North East Asia and to contribute to a global culture  of non-violence. This conference was convened to bring together participants from each of the Six Party nations. We regret that women from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) were not able to participate, and we hope that women from the DPRK will be able to join future gatherings.  

We welcome the diplomatic non-military approach of the Six Party Talks that has brought historic progress to resolving the nuclear crisis in the Korean Peninsula, while regretting the bilateral and regional issues that continue to delay the full implementation of the February 15th 2007 Agreement.  

We, women from each country, are concerned about the growing militarization in the region, and increased spending on military arms, and support the continuation of Six Party negotiations. However, we also note the striking under-representation of women participating in these negotiations.  In 2000, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1325 recognizing the "important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building and stressing the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security."

We believe that women's interests, values and needs must be taken into account in order to achieve genuine peace that transcends national interests. Women's perspectives would contribute to integrating human security concerns into the peace process. Women must actively participate in the Six Party process as citizens, as members of NGOs, and as government officials in order to create a permanent infrastructure for stability and cooperation in the region.    

We urge all governments participating in the Six Party Talks to demonstrate their resolution to reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula and sustainable peace in Northeast Asia by:

1) Implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 immediately.

2) Fully honoring commitments made in Six Party negotiations.

3) Working towards genuine reconciliation in Northeast Asia.

4) Responding to urgent humanitarian needs in the DPRK.

On this historic day, standing at the gateway to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), symbol of division and conflict in the region, we declare our resolve to work in solidarity to build upon and institutionalize a permanent women's network to promote peace in the Northeast Asian region.

September 3, 2008

Participants in the 2008 Northeast Asian Women's Peace Conference

Dorasan Station, Boarder between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea.

Korean Women Workers' Association (KWWA) and Korean Women's Trade Union (KWTU) have planned Women's Labor Forums four times.  The 1st forum dealt with equal pay for work of equal value in the U.S.A. and U.K., and the 2nd forum, equal pay for work of equal value in Korea. In this third forum, researcher Eun Soomi focused on equal pay for work of equal value in European countries.

In Europe, it is said that social supports for gender equality are basically strong, wage differences by size and employment type are smaller, and protection levels in accordance with collective agreements are quite high.  Korea experiences the lack of related regulations and practices and there are quite a lot of differences between Korea and European countries, and so, when Korea follows and adopts only the flexible trends of European countries and ignore its social and cultural contexts, there will be quite high possibilities to cause social problems.

European countries have already had the practices of equal pay for work of equal value and how to expand its application is a question. However, because there is no practice of equal pay for work of equal value in Korea, first of all, the question to define "what" is equal pay for work of equal value has to be discussed.

Eun Soomi suggested that Koreans should establish the practices of equal pay for work of equal value, and also made two suggestions to carry out job analysis under this irregular workers' discrimination correction system, and to make job analysis of irregular workers in women centered public sectors.

The more labor forum is held, the ambiguity regarding definition of equal pay for work of equal value rises. A wide variety of detailed ideas and practices are needed to implement the equal pay for work of equal value in the Korean society.

Will you leave KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers alone on the 40 meter high steel tower even on the Choosuk national holiday day of hope and integration?

Korea Railroad Corporation should solve the problem for the KTX and Saemauel express train women workers urgently!

On September 8, 2008, civil and women's organizations such as Cultural Action, Women Corea, Korean Women's Trade Union, Buddhist Solidarity for Reform, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Korean Women’s Associations United, Action, and KYC had a press conference in front of KTX Seoul Station,  calling for prompt solutions for KTX and Saemauel express train women workers.

These organizations made their severe criticism of the Korea Railroad Corporation for no will to settle KTX and Saemauel express train women workers' issues which have been unsettled for over 900 days and its rudeness of keeping on outsourcing human resources, and demanded that the corporation should take responsible action for the problem in accordance with 2006's recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and the decision by the Seoul district court and high court that the Korea Railroad Corporation is the real owner. In addition, these organizations demanded that the corporation should solve the problem promptly in order for the women workers not to spend the national holiday on the 40meter steel tower, and in order to make an exemplary and mutually beneficial case and to create a cooperative society like a full moon of cooperation and happiness.

In the press conference, participants from civil and women's organizations visited the women workers on strike on the 40 meter steel tower and had a good talk, and sent support and encouragement through saying Oh Misun, union branch leader struggling on the high steel tower, "KTX and Saemauel express train women workers, cheer up!" by a megaphone.

<Appeal by KTX and Saemauel express train women workers>

If you ignore our rights to live which are hanging on the steel tower, we also have an idea.

It has been 13 days since KTX and Saemauel express train women workers stayed and went on strike on the 40 meter steel tower. Nobody can imagine how dizzy it is until you climb it up. During the day, strong sun heats us up and we are caught in rain on rainy days.  Although this old steel tower shake and rocks very hard by winds, we are determined because KTX and Saemauel express train women workers' rights to live depend on us. Women workers in the Busan Station have been carrying out hunger strikes again. Busan Station and Seoul Station branch union leaders have been on sympathy hunger strike. However, the cold and inhumane Korean society and the Korea Railroad Corporation ignore these hunger strikes. Our strike on this high steel tower is likely to be forgotten soon. The Korean society largely ignore irregular workers and their lonely voices are not echoing in the society.

Giryung Electronics workers have been on strike for about 100 days. Even if E*land workers have still fought, none remember them. Koscom workers still resist even though they have to sleep on the street without tents because their tents are so torn out. Only the police, prosecution, and court remember irregular workers' struggles and push them toward the cliff by the traps of penalties, confinement, and provisional dispositions.

However, our comrades never cease visiting us to this tower. Railroad regular workers and irregular workers visit us and stay overnight to share our tears. In Seoul and Busan, railroad union leaders at every rank and union branch leaders have carried out sympathy hunger strikes. Giryung Electronics workers, E*land workers, and Koscom workers console and encourage one another. In addition people from civil organizations always stay with us. Recently, netizens have visited us to the place where we are in strike and held candlelights for us. Like this, your heartfelt care, attention and encouragement help us to resist day by day although our struggle is very hard and painful. I am sure the little and lonely candlelight can be lit very well like bright fires.

The Choosuk, one of the most important national holiday days is just around corner. The Choosuk holiday is very special to Koreans by railroad, a foot for passengers visiting home. When national holidays such as Choosuk come, dismissed irregular workers are more lonely and sad. In particular, during the coming national holiday, we, KTX and Saemauel express train women workers have to stay on this steel tower and the place where striking workers have gathered. We think about the trains taking passengers to home, and we "should take action." We like passengers using the Seoul Station and the Busan Station to hear the heartbreaking voices of irregular workers.

Accordingly, we have decided to take so strong action that passengers visiting home can gather together and worry about KTX and Saemauel express train women worker's issues and irregular workers' problems, and so irregular workers' matters can be serious social issues. We make our last appeal to the directors of the Korea Railroad Corporation. Please do not ignore women workers striking on this steel tower and on hunger strike in the Busan Station. KTX and Saemauel express train women workers are on the edge of the cliff. The solution of our women workers' problems are up to the directors, but our desperate resistances are up to our women workers' determination and resolution.  We urge the Korea Railroad Corporation to solve this matter through conversation again. Thank you.

- KTX and Saemauel express train women workers fighting against dismissals and cancellation of contracts informed on September 8, 2008-

<Press Conference>

Will you leave KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers alone on the 40 meter high steel tower even on the Choosuk national holiday of hope and integration?

The Korea Railroad Corporation should solve the women workers' matters promptly!

900 days have passed since the KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers started their struggles, demanding that the corporation should provide them direct employment and remove gender discrimination. Since August 27, 2008 the women workers have initiated their lonely and frightened struggles on the 40 meter steel tower because of their desperation that 'they have no place to go any more.'

So far, a wide variety of civil organizations including the circles from religion, academy and women have indicated that the issues of the KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers are irregular workers' distorted and unequal matters in our society, violating human rights, and is also a symbolic incident that highlights gender discrimination, and have continued to demand on a smooth and reasonable solution. In addition, in 2006, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea declared that the Korea Railroad Corporation practiced actual gender discriminations and is responsible for correcting the discriminations, recommending "The Korea Railroad Corporation should remove gender discrimination through providing fair employment conditions for women workers."

After the Seoul district court in 2007, on April 8, 2008, the Seoul high court also decided that the Korea Railroad Corporation should be an actual user. This means the corporation should take responsibility for solving irregular women workers' problems. However, the Korea Railroad Corporation has ignored the recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and decisions by both of the district and high courts and kept outsourcing resources for 3 years, giving indescribable physical and mental agonies to women workers.

The large public corporation employing more than 30,000 workers has rejected the recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and decisions by both of the district and high courts, and left the urgent matter unsettled, which is unfair and unreasonable, violating human rights severely. In addition, its bad actions distorting and denouncing women workers' struggles are very irrational and savage behaviors pushing the women workers' backs to the cliff.

The Choosuk national holidays on which hundreds of thousands of people visiting home are just around the corner. We urge the Korea Railroad Corporation to recognize that the national holiday means the economical abundance, the political hope, and the way of social integration from the point of view of magnanimity and tolerance, and to take an active action to solve this problem in order for women workers not to spend the national holiday on the 40 meter steel tower. We hope the Korea Railroad Corporation to accept this suggestion and to make the society of integration like the bright full moon on the Choosuk national holiday through setting up a good case between the capital and the labor.

dated on September 8, 2008

by Korean civil and women's organizations urging the corporation to provide prompt solutions for the KTX and Saemauel express trains women workers

quoted from http://www.women21.or.kr/news/?pid=news&sid=02&gbn=view&ix=1295

Holding a memorial service for Martyr KIM Kyeongsook

Korean Women Workers Association kept the 29th anniversary of the death of Martyr KIM Kyeongsook (on August 11, 2008). Members of the YH Association and 70s' Democratic Workers' Association joined together.

YH incident (the death of Martyr KIM Kyeongsook) as well as the death of Martyr CHUN Tae-il was the two biggest labor incidents in the 1970s, and it was an opportunity and proved an incentive to lead up the deprivation of the congress membership of the chairperson of the opposition party, as a consequence, the democratic movement by people in Pusan and Masan, and finally, the collapse of the Park's dictatorial regime.

In this year, the government recognized the death of Martyr KIM Kyeongsook as 'a murder by public power' by the government.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission declared that KIM Kyungsook (at the age of 21), a YH unionist had been killed due to the excessive suppression by the police in the process of quelling striking women workers in the office of the New Democratic Party, an opposition party in 1979.

An article about the YH incident at that time was followed:

What is the YH incident?

Suppression and exploitation! Women workers have been the first victims of these words for a long time. In the process of Korean subordinate export-led economic development, women workers have always provided cheap labor, and compensated for Korea's international competitiveness, working for very low wages for long working hours. Under the veil of industrial pillars, women workers have been working in the worsened working conditions in which even their basic rights to work were not protected, and so it was natural that women workers in the 1970s carried out the consistent and organized women workers' movement. One example is YH united women workers who carried out strong struggles, fighting against company's inhumane treatment.

YH trading company was established as a small wig company in 1966, with a small capital of 1 million Won and the number of 10 workers. It grew very fast owing to taking advantage of the boom in the wig exportation and the government's export-oriented policies. Just for 4 years, it grew into the Korea's largest wig company with actual exports of US$100 million and the number of 4,000 workers. At that time, ranked 15th on the exportation list, the company received a presidential award and a Bronze Tower Industrial Medal. The company, named after the initial of the establisher, JANG Yong Ho, made a record net profit of 1,273 million Won in 1970. Of course, it was due to many women workers' sweats and sacrifices.

In September 1970, JANG Yong Ho appointed his brother-in-law, JIN Donghee as the president of the company, and had him focus on the domestic management. On the other hand, he emigrated to the U.S. with his family. Hiding away a great amount of money, he established 'Yong International Company' to import and sell YH commodities in the U.S., and made a fortune through managing a hotel and a department store. However, due to excessive expansion of its operation and unfair practices by JIN Donghee, YH trading company became declined. The company had growing debts and reduced the number of workers, and especially from 1975, it became on the rapid downside.

The production lines for making a wig need 14 stages, and amongst them, workers belonging to 11 departments received their wages on the basis of the contract work system (Under this system, workers receive their wages by hours according to outcomes of their labor during a certain amount of working hours). Workers usually had overtime work for 12 ~14 hours a day, but they did not receive any allowance.  Because they worked on the basis of the contract work system, they could not receive any wage (Class "A" workers received at most 30,000 Won, and meals cost 3,000 Won at that time) if there was no work.

"Workers began to complain about their working conditions. Therefore, we took unorganized collective actions on wage increases and overtime work. For example, because it was difficult for individual workers when just one or two workers did not go to work, so we collected collective opinions, and refused overtime work and did not go to work. On the company's side it was considered as normal because the actions occurred from time to time. At that time, just skin deep complaints were made because no trade union was set up."

CHOI Soonyoung (a former congress woman belonging to the Democratic Labor Party) made the comment as the president of YH trade union, established in 1975, which belonged to the Textile Industry Union.

Struggles against shop closure leading to the death of Martyr KIM Kyeongsook

In all the processes of the rapid growth and the decline of the company, women workers accounting for 90% out of the total number of workers were isolated and exploited all the time.

In March 1975, a work stoppage by the drying department, served as a stepping stone for the establishment of the trade union. A dogmatic personnel change by supervisors in charge of unit wages and other matters gave a chance for women workers to carry on their strike. All the 200 united women workers belonging to the drying department went on strike and in the process, Maria RHIE working for the northern partition of J.O.C. introduced and explained the role of a trade union to them. However, they did not have clear guidelines regarding what they had to do, nor did a trade union draw their attention since they confronted many imminent problems, most of all, without having no equal bargaining power.

After the strike by the drying department failed, women workers in despair and desperation felt the necessity of a trade union to stop policemen who insisted their collective action, a crime of shaking the nation and society, would violate the law, from threatening and frightening them. KIM Kyeongsook, PARK Keumsoon, LEE Yok-ja, and CHUN Jeongsook, heads of quarters at that time played main roles in establishing the YH trade union. They were dismissed later because they attempted to set up the trade union, and CHOI Soonyoung, a senior of the hand-making department received an order to go to work in a subcontracting factory in the Gangwon province.

On May 24, 1975, the YH trade union was finally founded after many twists and turns, especially after the 4 workers were victimized. Even at that moment, the company attempted to establish a company-dominated union, and continued disturbing the establishment of the democratic trade union including dismissing CHOI Soonyoung, the president of the union and LEE Jeong-ok, a vice president, transferring MIN Kyeong-Ae, a secretary-general, and buying over many workers. On June 30, 1975, even one month after the establishment of the trade union was notified, the YH trade union received a union certificate, and from the next day, they started to discuss impending problems and activity directions. Union leaders carried out a variety of activities including forming self-government associations in the dormitory, conducting small group activities, educating workers and organizing workshops, trying to maintain consistent discussion with the company. In December 1975, women workers received 50% bonus, which was a first fruit of struggles by the YH union for the first time after the establishment of the company. In addition, all workers were said to be so amused and happy with the first outcome gained through their collective action.

"It was natural that workers demanded on their wage increases and other better working conditions through discussion between the labor and the company. We were so happy with small outcomes because we had suffered a lot. In fact, we demanded to provide basic conditions stipulated by the Labor Standard Act. The company did not listen to our demands on basic matters such as the provision of retirement allowances, overtime pays, and 8 working hours a day. However, we were hilarious like in the heaven even if negotiations at low levels were kept."

The comment by CHOI Soonyoung shows harsh working conditions in the YH trading company. Since the late 1970s, international economy has been restructured and so heavy industries were cultivated. Accordingly, the YH trading company became a sunset industry and its women workers had to fight against the shop closure again. Women workers demanded on the withdrawal of the irresponsible shop closure and carried out struggles for the normalization of the company, but the company and the government were just disinterested and busily transferred their responsibilities. At last, about 200 YH union members set down the office of the New Democratic Party as a final exit for their struggle. They insisted "Normalize the company, or give us a death." However, suppressive subjugation by policemen terminated their 40-hour long struggle in the office of the opposition party within accurate 23 minutes. In the course, many people were dragged like dogs, beaten and hurt, including about 30 congress members and party members belonging to the New Democratic Party, 12 journalists and tens of workers. KIM Kyeongsook, a standing executive committee person turned to a cold body. Later on, the YH incident, an important political issue, gave a spark to end the dictatorial regime, after the following incidents of struggles in Pusan and Masan, and assassination of the president Park.

Firm struggles at all costs by YH union members were an important page of the Korean labor movement showing women workers' independence and struggles. That is because they tried to change their situations actively and to carry out a strong and organized movement, despite harsh suppression on the trade union. However, most of all, is it due to women workers' well-disciplined morality, courage and solidarity that YH union has stood as a standard example in the Korean labor movement?

(Quoted from http://cafe.daum.net/metalmystery/6wW7/169 )

"We will stop salts and enzymes. We will refuse taking emergency measures and being hospitalized."  

<63 day hunger strike by Giryung Electronics workers. "This is only way we can carry out our struggles".>

"From now on, we will stop having salts and enzymes. We don't know how long we can stand, but we will continue until the moment when the Giryung Electronics will make a good decision for workers. Although we go down, we will refuse taking emergency measures and being hospitalized."

KIM Soyoun and YU Heunghee unionists on hunger strikes in the tent on the rooftop of the company refused interviews. But around 11am during a press conference, they sent a letter. As soon as participants looked at the letter, they were agitated and unsettled. That's because it showed their firm determination that they would stop having salts and enzymes, and further would refuse taking emergency measures and being hospitalized.

They also wrote "We are so sorry that we make you worrying. Last night when thunder stroke and a lot of rains fell, we discussed and found the only way to struggle is this." With the humble bow, all the participants knew what they meant.

LEE Sang-yun, a policy board member of the Korean Federation of Medical Groups for Health Rights (KFHR) stated that to stop having salts and enzymes mean "they have decided to die honorably. Medically, they cannot stand more than one day even in a normal case. At most, they can't stand more than 2~3 days." He also said "they have already lost over 20% out of their normal weights. They are already in great danger. Medically it is very difficult. Their minds over their bodies are standing." His voice was shaking while he was making a statement.

In addition, he said "Even medical practitioners cannot stop them from hurting themselves with their political consciences and wills. They through their weak bodies are facing against extreme savageness and irrationality of our society."

They have been carrying out struggles for 1085 days and been on 63 day hunger strikes. To help the long struggle that ordinary people cannot imagine, civil organizations came together and urged the company and the government to settle this matter. In front of Giryung Electronics, Gasan-dong, Seoul, at 10:30am on August 12, civil organizations including People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), Action, and Korean Federation of Medical Groups for Health Rights (KFHR) organized a press conference. They hung a placard at the back of the press conference showing 'Will you drive irregular Giryung workers to death?' 

Around 50 unionists and civil organizations carried out picketing saying 'Workers are dying. Abolish irregular employment,' and 'Will you really drive irregular workers to death." to urge the company to make a good decision.

KIM Youngmin, secretary general of PSPD mentioned "I am so sorry I am very late. We will put our efforts to settle this matter. I feel the strong urgency that we should not let them die, and so I am here." and encouraged the unionists saying "Be alive and let's struggle together."

The company has insisted that there should be no place for striking unionists to work in because there are no production facilities including outsourcing. However, YOON Jonghee, a unionist said "our unionists confirm that a factory equipped with satellite radio production lines is in operation in Siheung city."

She also commented "We will bury the company's deception with our deaths. We want to live like humans. Abolish irregular employment and it can only stop our hunger strikes." and said "the company has repeated 'it will help us to find jobs in the other companies.' But if we simply needed jobs, we would not continue such a long struggle."

JO Youngsoon from Lawyers for Democratic Society said "I think democracy in Korea has died." and questioned "How can we tell democracy when workers receive only 640,000 Won?"  He also highlighted "The Act on the Protection of Fixed-term and Part-time Employees is but to produce irregular employment not to protect irregular workers," and condemned the government and politics, saying "This matter related to Giryung Electronics' workers  is a problem of ours and our future."

PARK Youngmi, a co-chairperson of Korean Women’s Associations United and KIM Hansung, chairperson of Korean Professors Union insisted "We should save workers in great danger, whose lives require prompt treatment." urging the company to "make sincere negotiations" and the government and the congress to "make active and fair arbitrations."

LEE Junghee, a congress woman belonging to the Democratic Labor Party and the people involved in the Seoul municipal partition of the party have also been on 9 day hunger strikes in support of them.  Further, students belonging to the Hankiyeon plan to carry out co-hunger strikes near the City Hall and the Seoul Station.

Workshop for counselors of Hotline for Equality: problems and improvement tasks of discrimination correcting systems related to Temporary Employment Protection Act

One year has been passed since the Temporary Employment Protection Act was put into force. The previous government mentioned to regulate discriminations against irregular workers, focusing on discrimination when the Act was enacted. Lee Myeong Bak government also declared to expand the number of irregular workers to achieve flexible employment, and solve related all kinds of problems through discrimination correcting systems. Discrimination correcting systems are viewed like a panacea for measurement for irregular employment. However, the discrimination correcting system has had many problems for one year.

Hereupon, counselors of the Hotline for Equality looked at problems regarding discrimination correcting policies for irregular workers, and probed for alternatives of discrimination correcting systems.  Labor lawyer, Park Jooyoung analyzed detailed cases regarding discrimination against irregular workers, brought before local labor relations commissions and national labor relations commission in charge of deciding discrimination correcting matters, pointed out the problems and suggested how to improve them. Currently, only one case has been considered as a discrimination correcting case, and in other cases their discrimination correction applications have been rejected at the cost of job security. Mr. Park mentioned that discrimination is not corrected nor exchanged for job security in the other cases, but all of them are deteriorated and compensated for money at the cost of job discontinuity.

Mr. Park Jooyoung broached discrimination correcting system for discussion as follows: ① Labor relations commissions examine if a party involved is appropriate in a case brought before the commissions. What is a problem is that the party involved is not considered as an irregular discrimination correcting applicant but a regular worker if fixing an employment term is viewed just as formal. However, there are many obstacles that applicants have to overcome. ② It is not easy to find a regular worker who can be compared with the applicants. That's because it is very hard for just a irregular workers to gain detailed wage levels earned by regular workers who do the same job. Nevertheless, labor relations commissions demand applicants to show one specific example of a regular worker for comparison, and applicants have to show comparison target until labor relations commissions decide if the comparison target is appropriate and they are satisfied ③ judgment standards by the commissions are quite formal and limited even though detailed comparison targets with regular workers are set up. The commission decides if there is discrimination through focusing on discrimination rather than if there is similarity through finding how similar two jobs are.  In the process, since workplaces investigation by examiners is quite formal, formal documents are more influential than actual tasks in deciding if there is discrimination. 

Mr. Park Jooyoung highlighted there are following procedural problems and  improvements on these are urgently needed in relation to discrimination correcting applications submitted to labor relations commissions: ① the problem that discrimination correction is called for to only individual workers ② individual workers are forced to provide comparison targets ③ the roles of examiners and problems of insufficient workplaces investigation ④ forced mediation or rejection of mediation applications by applicants ⑤ Exclusion from labor and/ or user-side commissioners in discrimination mediation meetings ⑥ the problems of fulfillment and effectiveness of discrimination correcting orders. 

Counselors of the Hotline for Equality had a good time to grasp what should be changed through looking at discrimination correcting situations of irregular workers in this workshop.

Symposium held: "In order to consolidate the effectiveness of correcting discrimination related to Temporary Employee Protection Act, at the point of its enforcement for 1 year"

There are gender differences in discrimination correcting effectiveness for temporary workers.

"Deregulation policies" raised worries at the time when the government emphasizes its enforcement.

 by Park Hee-Jung[from Feminist Journal, Ilda]

The Temporary Employee Protection Act was put in force and measures on irregular workers in the public sector were taken. However, it is difficult to have a pink prospect in relation to its discrimination-correcting effectiveness for irregular  workers.

For one year since the enforcement of the Temporary Employment Protection Act, there have been a decreasing number of overall irregular workers. However, the composition of irregular employment is deemed to be worsening, because there have been a higher number of workers whose working conditions are relatively worse amongst irregular workers. What is worse is that there are distinct gender differences in the decreasing number of irregular workers.

Under this condition, worries about irregular workers have been raised, as the government has focused on "deregulation" including privatization of state-owned enterprises, in terms of labor policies and economic policies.

A higher number of irregular workers with worsening working conditions and increasing wage gaps

On July 8, 2008, Korean Women Workers Association (KWWA) and Korean Women's Trade Union (KWTU) jointly hosted a symposium titled "In order to consolidate the effectiveness of correcting discrimination related to Temporary Employee Protection Act, at the point of its enforcement for 1 year."  In the symposium, researcher Eun Soo-Mi (belonging to the Korea Labor Institute) presented her analysis of the effectiveness of the enforcement of the Temporary Employment Protection Act.

Researcher Eun mentioned that the number of fix-term workers decreased by 321,000 persons, and dispatched workers by 3,000 persons in 2008 compared to the same month of the last year, but expressed her opinion that the irregular employment composition has been possibly worsening due to the enforcement of the Temporary Employment Protection Act, because there were all increases in the number of 'the temporary workers with relatively worsening working conditions who are not expected to continue working,' outsourced and subcontracted workers, and day workers."

In particular, while the number of male workers was decreased by 125,000 persons (-4.2%), there was a decrease in the number of women workers by 10,000 persons (-0.4%) in relation to irregular workers by gender, which there was a clear gender gap. Women workers obtained similar decreases in the number of fixed workers, compared to male workers. However, in the case of workers whose contracts are repeatedly renewed and short-term workers, while there was a decline in the number of male workers by 72,000 persons (-14.5%), the number of women workers grew by 0.1%.

Researcher Eun stressed that constant follow-up surveys are needed in the case of short-term employment, since the decreased number of short-term workers was reversed and increasing.

It was found that 'wage gap' which is an essential issue in relation to discrimination against irregular workers is wider. While the size and percentage of fix-term workers and those whose contracts are repeatedly renewed was declined, there were their growing wage gaps with regular workers. 

"No" government policies for irregular workers and working poor people

Researcher Eun raised her concerns about possibly "more negative impacts" on irregular workers since "Ministry of Knowledge Economy and Ministry of Labor in a row formed teams exclusive responsible for deregulation" in the tough situation in which the enforcement of the Temporary Employment Protection Act has had limited effects.

Recently Lee Myungbak regime has focused on "deregulation" in terms of economic policies and labor policies, both. This stirs up criticism on "no active measures for irregular workers and the working poor placed in blind spots."

Researcher Eun emphasized the role of the government, saying "irregular workers are put in difficult circumstances in which their issues cannot be solved through self-regulations between the labor and the capital nor constitutional governance," "if we consider the fact that there have been a higher number of workplaces where irregular workers are on strike" such as Kiryoong Electronics, New Core, Koscom, and KTX, and that "the number of day when no work is carried out has increased 2.8 times higher in 2008 than last year."

Researcher Eun stressed that "it is the time when it is needed to monitor the enforcement of the Temporary Employment Protection Act and its problems incurred, and when required is severe evaluation of how to operate discrimination correcting and decreasing systems.

Especially, she also highlighted that current situations about indirect employment and low wage market should be investigated, and that monitoring focusing on specific employment types including day employment, short-term employment, outsourced employment, and part-time employment as well as women irregular employment should be carried out.

2008/07/15 [11:12] ⓒ www.ildaro.com

(quoted from: http://www.ildaro.com/sub_read.html?uid=4500§ion=sc2§ion2=)