Report of Trade Union Organizing Strategies for Development

Report of ‘Trade Union Organizing Strategies for Development and Inclusion’ Status and Improvement of union organizing in Korea - Mainly youth workers and women workers May 23, 2016 Kwak Ui-shin (FEDERATION OF KOREAN TRADE UNIONS)

*Korea's labor unions Organization All workers number : 18, 420, 000 person Labor unionist number : 1, 905, 470 person Labor union organization rate : 10. 3 % Number of labor unions : 5, 445 * Source : Ministry of Employment and Labor, 2014 standards.

*Korea's labor unions Organization • Status of members of the Federation numbers Federation of Korean Trade Unions Korea Confederation of Trade Unions Not joined Unionist number 843, 174 631, 415 430, 881 Union number 2, 396 366 2, 683 distribution * Source : Ministry of Employment and Labor, 2014 standards.

* The reality of young workers in Korea • • • Low-paid Non-regular workers Nonunionized Small workplaces Decrease in hiring new workers and regular jobs Negative perception of labor unions

*Age-specific membership numbers and organization rate membership numbers organization rate Workers rates 2003 2015 29 years old or less 36 28 8. 7 8. 0 29. 0 18. 9 30 -49 years 108 151 14. 0 15. 7 54. 5 51. 2 50 -59 years 17 51 10. 2 13. 4 11. 6 20. 3 More than 60 years old 1 5 1. 5 2. 8 4. 9 9. 7 Occupation Type Unit: ten thousand people, % Source: Statistical Office

* strategy of organizing youth in the future of labor union activities • Train high school students on the Labor Law and the Labor Union Act. • Making efforts to increase the numbers of new recruit among youths as collaborating with trade unions, employers and the government • To organize youths at small and irregular workplaces where organizational rate toward youth is quite low.

* strategy of organizing youth in the future of labor union activities • Trying to change elderly workercentered culture in labor union activities as we develop new programs and services for the youth. • Solidarity with the Youth Union and organizations of unemployed young men. • Will establish a special body for youth activities

* strategy of organizing youth in the future of labor union activities • Asking the government to reduce college tuition and increase the numbers of new recruit among youths. • Running the Youth Labor Center, which helps youths to get jobs and gives legal consultation and services for union activities to them. • Organize part-time labor unions, community Youth Unions, whitecollar youth unions and so on.

* The reality of women workers in Korea • Among 17 million workers in Korea, there are 8 million nonregular workers and half of them are women. 1. 5 million women workers especially get less than the minimum wage. • The average wage of women workers is 62% of men's and it of non-regular women workers is 40% of whole workers'. • women workers are mainly employed to part-time, special employment and at-home jobs which are very insecure.

*A number of women members and the organization rate compared to men distribution Total Number of labor unions 5, 445 Unionist number Sub Total Men Women 1, 905, 470 1, 452, 619 452, 851 * Source : Ministry of Employment and Labor, 2014 standards.

*A number of women members and the organization rate compared to men Women 24% Men 76% * Source : Ministry of Employment and Labor, 2014 standards.

* Strategy of organizing unorganized women workers of labor union activities • Their interests and voices to our political demands toward the government and organize women workers. • Establishing the gender quota system to the general meeting and other meetings. • As most of non-regular and low income workers are women, two umbrella labor organizations in Korea are struggling against the government to increase minimum wage every year.

* In conclusion * • In short, we should make stable employment through affirmative action for non-regular and low income workers and a wage increase so that we successfully organize youth workers and women workers. • And, thank you. For your attention!