[vol.12] Feature_ Seven Tasks for Working Women's Labor Policy

Seven Tasks for Working Women's Labor Policy

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Coming December is the period a Presidential Election and establiching Welfare Standard Policy for Working Women. KWWAU selceted Seven Tasks for Working Women's Labor Policy which needed certainly for Working Women General labor rights - securing 40 hours labor time a week, perfect Securing labors three primary etc.- , policies of politics, economy, humane rights, education, family, environment, poverty and unification are omitted because of lack of space.

1. Employment Stability
   1. We are against the `Law's Regarding the Proper Management of Temporary Help Agencies and the Protection of Temporary Help Workers

      Recently, the numbers of workers employed in these agencies have rapidly grown. We estimate that the number reaches between 450,000 to 550,000. The Temporary Help Agencies should be regularized and public employment centers should expand their functions.

   2. The number of women worker have increased in the informal sector.
      This fact shows the employment unstability of women workers. Many women workers are also involved in the contract based temporary works. If they would continue their job for three months at a same place, then their position should be regularized.

   3. Due to the increase of subcontracted works of small and medium sized companies, more and more women workers are engaging the home based works. They are disadvantaged in many aspects including wage, stability, health, social security, etc. In 1996, ILO adapted an agreement to protect the home based workers.

      The Korean government should also follow this case and establish an exclusive body that can be responsible for the home based workers. The government should enforce a law to protect their rights.

2. Employment Acceleration
   1. The survey shows that women only accounts 9.4 percent in public vocational training centers as of February in 1997. It is hard to find the trained women workers at a work place. Therefore, we insist that the quota system for women trainees should be implemented.

      The ratio of women instructors in public vocational training centers should also be increased. The Korean Technology Education University should allocate 30 percent of their freshman quota for women.

   2. Starting 1996, the government adapted the 10 tasks to expand women's social participation. The government set up a plan to allocate 20 percent of public official positions for women. However, by 1996, only 18 women were hired by the government.

      We insist that the government and public sector should implement 30 percent quota system for women workers. And private businesses should also forward in this direction.

   3. Currently, the government establishes the employment information network and supports workers to find their job.

      ▶The Women recruiting Center must be established in order to promote women recruiting, to improve a job consciousness and working capacity.

      However, we are still short of public employment centers. Hence, many of private employment offices have engaged in illegal entertainment business and many women have been their victims. We insist that in order to reenforce women's employment, an exclusive public body should be established. The body should regularly provide information on employment trend, introduction of vocational training centers, employment counseling, etc.

3. Equal Employment
   1. Since the implementation of Equal Employment Law, the cases of direct discrimination against women have been decreased. However, indirect discrimination have cased many problems. They are sexual discrimination in dispatch, promotion and education, the increase ofwomen workers in informal sector, separation of man and women's job fields when hiring.

      In order to achieve equal employment at a work place, the government should enforce a law against indirect discrimination against women.

   2. Sexual violence in a work place vary from rape to sexual harassment. The current law only regulate sexually abused cases by one's status or position. However, women can be victims of sexual violence by various kinds of men including their coworkers or customers.

      We insist that the regulation of sexual violence in a work place should be established and preventive measures should be enacted. Owners of the companies should also educate their employees and enhance their awareness on sexual violence.

   3. An exclusive body for equal employment should be set up in the administrative organization. Women superintendents system should be introduced. Currently, they only accounts less than 10 percent of the total labor superintendents. Moreover, an equal employment committee should be restructured so that it can handle sexual abused cases.

   4. In order to solve problems of sexual discrimination, we need an active measure for women's participation in public sector.

      The survey shows that women public officials only accounts 4 percent of the total number as of 1996. Therefore, the quota system should be introduced in various works of public sectors. For example, 20 percent allocation of public official, schools, enterprises should be secured for women. Women's promotion should be considered in terms of quota system.

4. Maternity Protection and Health
   1. Compared to the ILO agreement, the level of Korea's maternity protection is very low. Costs of maternity protection hasn't been secured enough.

      We insist that the period of maternity leave should be extended up to 90 days. When women have an abortion, they and their spouses should have at least 7 days vacation to take care of their body and mind. Regardless of the type of women's employment, their income should be secured during the period of maternity leave. Medical insurance and medicare should be responsible for the costs when giving a birth to their child.

   2. Overworking of pregnant women is directly related to their maternity and health. We insist that a law should prohibit pregnant women workers not to work at night. The law should also secure one day medical checkup for pregnant women workers.

      Along with ILO's maternity protection agreement, the related ministry should extend the period of maternity leave when they have diseases due to their pregnant and delivery.

   3. Currently, a growing number of women workers is getting occupational diseases due to the use of cancer causing materials and chemical hazards. The government should set up necessary measures to prevent women workers from occupation diseases.

      Therefore, the operation of industrial disaster insurance should not be privatized. And a law should be enforced regarding this matter. We insist some policies for women workers: finding the exact use of hazardous materials and chemicals, improving the bad working conditions and restructuring the inefficient working procedures, regularizing the health heckups, developing the rehabilitation programs, etc.

   4. In the past, paid menstruation leave was secured due to protect women workers who have worked under bad circumstances such as low income, long working hours, short period of vacation, etc.

      Now, the government and businesses has submitted a bill that will extend the period of maternity leave presupposing the abrogation of menstruation leave. We insist several policies here: the continuation of paid menstruation leave, the improvement of low wages, the guarantee of 40 hours per week, the freedom of use vacational period, etc.

      Rather than the abolition of menstruation leave, both men and women workers should have a day off to checkup their health.

5. Supporting Children
   1. According to the statistics, as of 1995, only 7.9 percent of women workers took temporary leave for their children. The employment insurance fund has paid the financial support fund for children. Currently, many working women don't take this temporary leave, because they aren't paid during the period. Their job security isn't guaranteed when returning to a work place. Therefore, the two conditions should be satisfied in order to stabilize the system of temporary leave for their children.

   2. Currently, the number of childcare facilities in work places marks 117, and 14 work places give some of financial supports for their employees' children. First of all, the government's policy should be changed from facility-oriented to child-oriented. It should also support the companies' activity on childcare services including financial supports for teachers among many others. It should regulate to facilitate a childcare center at a work place where over 150 employees are working.

   3. Since 1995, the system of family nursing care leave has been allowed among public officials and educational public service employees. However, only 21 among the total used this system (7 men and 14 women). We insist that companies should also introduce the system of family nursing care leave. And they should not discriminate a person who would use this system in promotion and further education.

6. Application of Four Social Insurance, Labor Standard Law and Equal Employment Law at any work places

   In Korea, 62.7 percent of women are working at a small factory where there are only under 4 persons. They don't get any advantages from various labor related laws.

   We insist that no matter how small companies they are, they should apply for social insurance, Labor Standard Law and Equal Employment Law. Even women workers in informal sector should be treated fairly as ones in formal sector.

7. Maternity Protection and Equal Employment for Women Public Officials

   Women public officials and educational public service employees should be benefited from the current Labor Standard Law and Equal Employment Law. Their maternity should be protected. Recently, the number of women public officials and educational public service employees have rapidly grown in Korea. However, their rights haven't been secured.

   We insist that they should be favored by all kinds of labor laws, maternity protection, equal employment.