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[Newsletter No. 15] Rights to Work Safely for Care Workers!

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KHMU Newsletter No. 15 November 12, 2020

Rights to Work Safely for Care Workers!

The KHMU Urges the Government to Come up with the Manual for Care Workers

 

The KHMU publicized the poor working conditions faced by care workers who can never avoid contacting patients due to the job nature, urging the government to take measures. At 11 AM on November 4, at the jointly organized testimony rally by the Union and the JeonTaeIl Foundation, how care workers are struggling due to COVID-19 situations were shared with the public at the JeonTaeIl Bridge in Cheonggye Stream, Seoul.  

 

The KHMU Vice President Kim Gyeong-gyu opened the rally by saying “No safety plan is designed to protect beneficiaries and us in working spaces and in the aspect of working hours. We need a systematic manual and long-term quarantine plans, as opposed to an immediate response manual simply based on experiences of care workers.” 

 

Jo Gil-soon, the Ansan branch Head, testified her experiences during the cohort isolation when a confirmed case occurred in the care center where she works. “I eye-witnessed the loopholes of the quarantine guidelines and got heavily stressed out as we had to continue to work amidst concerns of being infected,” said Jo. She added that nurses that time worked in safety suit when collecting samples while care workers had to assist nurses without any safety equipment except for dental face masks.


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The branch head Jo also criticized such unrealistic quarantine instructions, which permit three times/daycare for patients only while closing patients’ room doors. However, in reality, care workers have to take care of patients for almost all of their daily activities ranging from eating to handling urine and feces. In addition, older patients feel insecure when doors are closed. Hence, there’s no option but not to follow the instructions. Ms Jo was forced to work around the clock in the cohort-isolated condition for two weeks in a row, struggling from infection concerns and heavy workload.

 

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She emphasized that those care workers infected while working in care centers need to be identified by the government and adequate instructions should be applied against discriminations toward those COVID-19 confirmed workers in workplaces. In fact, a care worker had to go through stigmatization and hate speeches, being labeled as a subject who is spreading COVID-19 even when she was fully recovered after two weeks of treatment in a residential treatment center. She said, “What made me feel tougher was such discrimination and defamation by fellow workers than COVID-19 per se. Isn’t it a social norm that we take care of and protect those infected?” She also urged the government to come up with anti-discrimination policies.

 

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The KHMU’s press conference was held in front of the statue of Jeon Tae IL who burnt himself to fight for labor rights, shouting out “We are not a machine. Adhere to the Labor Standards Act.” The labor community and civil society have run a variety of commemorative programs on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his self-burning and death. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions plans to organize street protests and workers’ rally on November 14.

 

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[Livestream] In-service care workers’ voice for safety working conditions under COVID-19 situations. https://youtu.be/f7mfMdzGzoY


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Korean Health & Medical Workers' Union

Address KHMU Bldg, 10 Beodeunaru-ro 16-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 07230 Korea

Tel +82 2 2677 4889

Fax +82 2 2677 1769

E-mail khmuinfo@gmail.com