1. Kwak Ui-shin (FEDERATION OF KOREAN TRADE UNIONS)
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)

2. *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, standards.

3. *Korea's labor unions Organization
Status of members of the Federation numbers
distribution
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
* Source : Ministry of Employment and Labor, standards.

4. * 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

5. *Age-specific membership numbers and organization rate
Occupation Type
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
Unit: ten thousand people, %
Source: Statistical Office

6. * 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.

7. * strategy of organizing youth in the future of labor union activities
Trying to change elderly worker- centered 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

8. * 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, white- collar youth unions and so on.

9. * The reality of women workers in Korea
Among 17 million workers in Korea, there are 8 million non- regular 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.

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

11. *A number of women members and the organization rate compared to men
* Source : Ministry of Employment and Labor, standards.

12. * 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.

13. * 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!