401개의 게시물을 찾았습니다.
Today's (bourgeois) Korea Times reported the following:
'Cats Eye' to monitor crackdown on migrant workers
Several migrant workers’ rights groups said Tuesday that they have decided to form a federation to jointly monitor and cope with “unlawful” crackdowns on unregistered immigrant laborers.
Their move comes as the government has stepped up efforts to deport those staying here illegally ahead of the G-20 summit scheduled in November.
Civic organizations including the Migrants’ Trade Union, Joint Committee with Migrants in Korea and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions will establish a watchdog named “Cats Eye” today at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK).
The groups will educate citizens interested in joining the monitoring team for human rights abuses and station them as observers.
“Migrant workers are often harmed during crackdowns, but there is no concrete evidence except for the person’s statement to prove the violation of human rights. We will keep a lookout for raids on illegal foreigners to protect their human rights,” an official of the Migrants’ Trade Union said.
The federation distributed a guidebook on human rights violations in various languages, so immigrant workers can report crackdowns.
“We also plan to collect examples of unlawful crackdowns and file petitions to the NHRCK,” the official said.
The Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labor and immigration authorities have recently stepped up their actions against illegal residents and companies employing illegal migrant workers starting this month.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/06/113_68477.html
Some of the federations' first main subjects you can check out here (partly in English)!
Related articles:
☞ 이주민 인권 침해 시민감시단 'Cats-Eye' 발족 (Salad TV, 6.30)
☞ Immigrant staffer accused of assaulting Chinese worker (K. Times, 6.29)
Related articles:
☞ 이주민 인권침해 시민감시단 ‘Cats' Eye’에 함께해 주세요. (6.29)
☞ 불법체류 단속에 시민사회단체 공동대응 (Yonhap, 6.29)
☞ 이주민 인권침해, 시민들이 감시한다 (NewsCham, 6.29)
We always said this... But last week our "suspicions" were confirmed by two "major" bourgeois/conservative S. Korean newspapers...
Korea Times (6.24):
Migrant workers earn far less than Koreans with their average paycheck lower than that of the bottom 10 percent, a government report says. A more chilling fact is their meager wages are not increasing.
Not only do they face financial problems because of their low earnings, but this often forces them to work longer and more unsociable hours, creating increased childcare costs for those with families.
Most of their jobs belong in the category of "3Ds" ― dangerous, dirty and difficult ― jobs being shunned by Korean workers but still pivotal to society. Those jobs include factory work, cleaning and child care...
JoongAng Ilbo (6.23) published the following report:
Average wage of migrant workers falls far below local rate
The average annual salary of migrant workers in Korea is lower than that of the average pay of the bottom 10 percent of Korean workers, according to the National Tax Service.
The data released yesterday underscored that most foreign workers in Korea are employed in low-skilled, low-paying jobs that are shunned by Koreans.
Although the total amount of wages for foreign workers rose in 2008, the average pay per migrant worker fell.
In 2008, the number of foreign workers who filed tax returns tallied 344,583, a 22 percent increase from 2007.
The total amount of wages paid to migrant workers that year amounted to 4.54 trillion won ($3.84 billion), up 18.7 percent from 2007.
But the average wage of migrant workers was 13.17 million won, a 2.9 percent decline from 2007.
This was 1.43 million won lower than the average yearly income of the bottom 10 percent of Korean workers in 2008, which was 14.6 million won.
There were 7,945 foreign workers who received more than the average Korean worker’s income of about 40 million won.
This is only 2.3 percent of the total number of foreign workers. More than half of the foreign workers in the upper salary bracket received more than 80 million won.
These high-income earners were mainly concentrated in Seoul since they held white collar jobs, while the majority of blue-collar jobs are in the rest of the country.
Those foreign workers living in Seoul had the largest average income at 33.72 million won in 2008, close to the average salary of the entire Korean workforce of 38.20 million won.
However, in the rest of the country, the wage conditions of foreign workers fell far below even the bottom 10 percent of the local working population.
The city with the second highest average annual wage for foreign workers was Daejeon with 14.33 million won.
The average foreign worker salary was 12.33 million won in Busan and 10.79 million won in Gangwon.
Foreign workers in South Jeolla were the most underpaid as the average income they received was 7 million won.
Those in Gwangju, Jeju and North Jeolla were paid around 8 million won annually.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2922210
Korea Times(6.14) published the following report:
Migrant workers struggle for overdue wages
A tranquil afternoon at an industrial district in Anyang, a satellite city on the outskirts of Seoul, was shattered last Monday by a group of protesters demanding the payment of overdue wages for a Bangladeshi worker.
Migrant workers and activists stage a rally in front of a factory accused of frequent delays
in wage payments to its foreign employees in this photo taken by the MTU earlier this month.
"Pay outstanding wages," the protesters yelled in front of a paper-coating factory where the Bangladeshi, surnamed Hussein, worked until recently. Hussein has overstayed his visa so he could be deported if caught by immigration officials.
Despite the risk, the 32-year-old held the rally to receive 4.5 million won ($3,650) in overdue wages, his pay for August to December 2008.
"The employer transferred ownership of the company to his son-in-law and claimed he had no money to pay the unpaid salary," said Chung Yong-sup, a protester and spokesman for the Migrants' Trade Union(MTU).
In April last year, the employer promised to pay the wages by September as ordered by the Ministry of Labor but it was an empty promise, Chung said.
Pressured by the rally and mounting criticism in the neighborhood, the new owner, the son-in-law, promised to settle the problem by November. "We will keep watching how the owner deals with this issue," the activist said.
It was the second rally of this kind by the union this month alone - the first rally held last Saturday in Paju, a city near North Korea where scores of small and mid-sized factories are located.
As the number of migrant laborers has rapidly increased in recent years, so has the number of those struggling with unpaid wages.
There are approximately 500,000 migrant workers here who mostly work in the manufacturing, construction and agriculture industries. Nearly 10 percent of them overstay their visa, thus their presence here is illegal.
Foreign envoys and the international community have urged the Korean government to take tougher action against employers "maliciously" delaying salary payments.
Vulnerable to exploitation
Yet, no significant improvement has been made. In 2008 alone, 6,849 migrant workers filed complaints with the labor ministry over delayed wage payments for unclear reasons, up from 2,249 cases in 2007, statistics show.
By June last year, 4,659 complaints of this kind had been lodged ― from the latest data available ― indicating a worsening situation.
The amount of unpaid salaries has soared - 4.4 billion won in 2006, 17.3 billion in 2008 and 12.1 billion won for the first six months of last year. The vast majority of affected workers are Chinese, followed by Vietnamese and Filipinos, statistics show.
"Migrant workers overstaying visa are particularly vulnerable to this issue because of their illegal status here," said Rep. Park Dae-hae of the ruling Grand National Party, who made public the statistics. "It's urgent to establish an independent body to deal with the issue regardless of the residential status of the affected workers."
With regard to the growing problem, human rights watchdog Amnesty International issued a report last October elaborating working conditions facing migrant workers here, and called on the Seoul government to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers through rigorous labor inspections. In February, envoys from major manpower exporting states to South Korea called for tougher state action for the advancement of the human rights of their citizens here.
Labor officials say they make their utmost efforts to contain the problem, but admitted putting all problematic firms on its watch-list is all but impossible.
"Those delaying wage payments in order to avoid it in the end will face criminal punishment," said Shin Dong-jin, a labor ministry official covering migrant worker-related issues.
The government runs two insurance policies - one by the state and the other by a private insurance firm, Seoul Guarantee Insurance Company - to help migrant workers get full payment before they leave the country. But critics say the compensation guaranteed by the policies is "too small to cover unpaid salary" on average.
The state insurance covers up to 7 million won, while the private one guarantees only 2 million won. In most cases, critics claim, the amount of unpaid salary for each worker is over 10 million won on average.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/06/117_67620.html
Related article:
☞ Filipinos want EPS revamped (K. Times, 6.15)
PS: The article "Filipinos want EPS revamped" says that "Workers are currently paid 856,000 won for 40 hours of work, and 928,000 won for 44 hours of work"...
Of course migrant workers don't get 856,000 won for 40 hours... They get 856,000 won as monthly income if they work 40 hours a week and monthly 928,000 won for a 44-hours week!!
MTU issued last Thursday(5.06) the following statement:
Stop the repression on migrants in the name of G-20 Summit
● On May 4, 2010, the Ministry of Justice announced the on-set of the "intensified crackdown period" beginning in June 1, 2010 until August 31.
According to their released copy, the guidelines will be advertised in newspapers starting May 6, and will end on May 30, 2010. Afterwards the "Intensified Crackdown" begins on the 1st of June until August 31, 2010.
The government is once again offering the voluntary departure program to the undocumented workers within this period. They claim that all migrant workers who voluntary leave Korea within this period will be exempted from paying a fine for overstaying and will be exempted from a 5-year immigration ban in Korea. They also said that the workers who voluntarily leave will be able to take the korean language test.
The employers are also encouraged to surrender their undocumented workers so that they can be exempted from paying the fine of up to 20 million won. They will also be able to hire EPS workers that would replace their lost manpower.
The procedure for the employers would be to accompany their undocumented employees to the Airport Immigration office with a airline ticket or to the Immigration office where they are under jurisdiction. They would need to bring proof of their business registration and employment/wage records for the undocumented workers. Once they do this, both the worker and the employer will not be punished.
If they fail to do this however, the workers will be arrested and detained in the immigration center and will be held there until the fines are all paid. After they have been deported, there will also be a 5-year ban imposed on the undocumented workers caught. The new provision also states that this would be the general protocol even after the crackdown period.
The employer can pay up to a maximum of 20 million won in fines and a 3 year ban on hiring EPS workers.
They have also stated that these procedures are being done in preparation for the G-20 summit that Korea will be hosting in November.
● On May 4, 2010 the National Police Agency announced that they have also started the "G-20 Preemptive Response" last May 2.
According to their press release, the "special" investigation and arrest will be done in preparation for the G-20 Summit in November.
They have stated that as the foreign population increases, so do the crime rate in the foreign population. Starting on May 2, 2010, the police force will conduct special investigations in areas where there is a high concentration of foreigners. The investigation will continue for fifty days on the national level. For the Seoul region the investigation will continue for two weeks.
Since majority of the foreign population in Seoul are 75% Chinese. It is easy to surmise that the target for arrests are primarily these ethnic groups. Areas specific to one nationality are classified as target areas or target locations such as the following: the Chinese in Yeoungdungpo, Guro and Guemcheon areas. Mongol in Junggu Gwanghuidong Mongoltown. Vietnamese in Seongdonggu, Geumcheongu and Seongbukgu. Russians and Uzbekistan in Junggu Gwanghuidong Russian street. Finally, the Nigerians in Yongsan and Itaewon.
According to their press release the target of their investigation are the following: 1) Foreigners who are suspects in a crime, 2) Foreigners who are in possession of deadly weapons (knives, etc.), 3) Foreigners who have pending arrest warrants, 4) Sex workers and their costumers and 5) Undocumented migrant workers.
According to their statement, the procedures would involve day and night raids in suspected areas as well as random street checking of the foreign nationals.
The "Foreigner Crime Concentration Investgation" is evidence of the RACIAL BIAS, RACISM and CLASS DISCRIMINATION of the KOREAN GOVERNMENT aimed towards all migrant. The G-20 Summit is just a convenient alibi for them to justify their attack against the migrants of this country.
The Ministry of Justice is again using the kick-out scheme under the guise of the "voluntary departure program", not even giving consideration to the long waiting list of job seekers in labor exporting countries. Also, they have just recently reduced the quota of foreign workers for this year despite the labor shortage in the manufacturing industries. Another factor that they refused to consider is the employability of the undocumented workers citing the fact that a considerable number of undocumented workers are already way past the age limit to be qualified for work. These seniors are by no means less productive. On the contrary, because of their work experience the seniors have higher degree of skills compared to the new workers.
The announcement/report circulated by the National Police Agency is proof that they are targeting individuals according to ethnicity and social background. They have seriously pointed out that the concentration and focus of this action are toward migrant workers.
The Chinese, Mongolian, Vietnamese, Russian, Uzbek and the Nigerians, to name just a few. Special target areas are also named like industrial complexes, factories and areas where there is a high concentration of foreign population.
They have also labeled undocumented workers as "criminals" so that they can justify their arrest. These undocumented workers are productive individuals that contributes their labor. They give back to the community by being consumers. They give back to the society by sharing their culture. They give back to the economy by indirectly paying taxes in everything that they purchase. They create commerce by creating a demand. They export the Korean culture and products. Most of all, they make it a point that they do not disadvantage anyone in the community for fear of endangering their stay in Korea. They are criminalized for not having a piece of paper. To lack a piece of paper is not a crime!
We highly condemn the recent order of battle of both the Ministry of Justice and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Force agency against the foreign community in Korea. The recently introduced protocols are in clear violation of the human rights laws and standards. It is not only unconstitutional it has also violated treaties and conventions from international governing bodies like the UN.
We heavily criticize the Korean dictatorship government of Lee Myeong Bak against the institutionalized commodification of human beings as reflected by the repressive national policies instituted under his dictatorial term. All of the policies introduced by the Korean government up to this day has proven to be self-contradictory to the concept of a Korean multi-cultural society. Today, Korea has once again reverted to barbarism and violence by adapting the failed immigration protocols in the past where death and injuries were rampant. It seemed that the hundreds of lives lost and ruined from the crackdown is not enough to move their conscience. They are willing to sacrifice the lives of migrants in image-building for the G-20 Summit.
WE ARE NOT CRIMINALS!
WE ARE NOT COMMODITIES!
WE ARE NOT YOUR SLAVES!
STOP CRACKDOWN!
ACHIEVE LABOR RIGHTS!
ACHIEVE HUMAN RIGHTS!
http://migrant.nodong.net/?document_srl=27931#0
Related:
☞ Immigration checks to be toughened (K. Times, 5.10)
Today's Hankyoreh wrote: Presenting November’s G-20 summit as its justification, the Ministry of Justice announced on May 3 that it would implement a large-scale crackdown starting next month, foreshadowing another harsh wind to come. Joint Committee with Migrants in Korea (JCMK) Executive Secretary Lee Young said, “It has become the worst possible situation for migrant workers since the current administration came into office.” Lee also said, “The government regards them as criminals and is focused only on isolating and arresting them.”
Today's topics: A new threat by MoJ & Migrant Workers' "May Day" rally
1. Ministry of "Justice" announced on Monday a new crackdown campaign as Yonhap(5.03) reported:
Illegal migrants given until Aug. 31 to leave S. Korea
South Korea will introduce a temporary grace period to allow foreigners staying here illegally to leave without punishment, the Justice Ministry said Monday, while promising to crack down on those who fail to depart ahead of the Seoul G-20 summit.
The measure will go into effect from Thursday until Aug. 31 under a government effort to reduce the number of foreign nationals staying here without permission, the ministry said. About 180,000 are estimated to be residing in South Korea illegally.
Related article:
☞ Voluntary exit program launched for illegal aliens (K. Times, 5.04)
2. Last Sunday in Seoul: Migrant workers commemorated this year's Int'l Struggle Day of the Working Class with a powerful rally/culture festival and comrade "Hong Gil-dong in the Forest" - as usual (well, it's just your 'rev. duty'!!) - documented the event (TXL, dear comrade!!). Here you can watch his video!
Related report:
☞ “우리는 노예가 아닙니다. 인간입니다.” (SaladTV, 5.04)
Because migrant workers in S. Korea have to work (or rather are exploited!!) "usually" from Monday till Saturday(evening, frequently up to 12 hrs daily) they will celebrate the "MayDay" in Seoul one day later...
For more please check out:
☞ Let's Commemorate May Day Together! (MTU, 4.28)
Last Saturday(4.24) in Seoul's Korea University the 2010 Solidarity Night to Support MTU's Struggle took place successfully.
Video activist comrade "Hong Gil-dong in the Forest" documented the event and you can watch his video here (MUST SEE!!).
Thanx to everyone who prepared/joined the event!! And of course TXL to comrade "Hong Gil-dong.." for his impressive documentary!!!
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