Secure Work to Youth and Women! Secure Future to All!
South Korea

DECENT WORK to YOUTH and WOMEN

2011 ’World Day for Decent Work’ Campaign is held in front of the National Assembly

The FKTU co-organized ’2011 World Day for Decent Work’ campaign in front of the National Assembly on 17th Oct. together with Youth Community Union, Care Workers’ Solidarity and Women’s Labour Action under the theme of ’Secure Works to Youth and Women! Secure Future to All!’

First of all, at the press conference all participants raised the concern for youth and women workers, the most vulnerable in the labour market, which have been suffering most severly from labour market duality and job insecurity deepened and further deteriorated amid inadequate and limited social security protection and obvious double dip global economic recession in 2011.

On the statement, SUL Insook, Vice President of the FKTU, pointed out, "17% of Youth unemployment rate and more than 41% of unemployment rate of university graduate just reflect the difficulty faced by the young people. The women’s situation isn’t better at all. 70% of women wage-workers are under low-paid and short-term employment and 600,000 domestic workers are not recognized as a worker so that they are excluded from basic labour laws and regulation."

The government was criticised to have stubbornly sticked to its flexible labour policies for pro-capital economic order despite the hardship faced by majority of workers. All participating organizations then warned, "we can no longer leave our future to the terminal MB administration and the incompetent ruling party. It is time for the National Assembly voted by the people and workers to implement Decent Work Agenda through legislations so that all workers could enjoy decent work and life".

Especially these were strongly urged that ① mobilization of strong policy measures to create decent works for youth and women, ② an increase of the national minimum wage adequately meeting the needs in reality, ③ introduction of unemployment aid including incentive employment benefit for unemployed youth and long-term unemployed. ④ the passage of a bill related to social and employment security floor during the regular session of the National Assembly within this year, ⑤ full guarantee of worker’s rights and right to health of informal workers, especially domestic workers.

After the press conference, participants joined a street campaign to meet general public and then to distribute information leaflets on WDDW, serious current employment situation of youth and women, our demands.