Parents hurriedly use annual leave due to Caregiver strike...

Opposition to Transfer of Care Responsibility to Local Governments
About 6,000 Participants, Nearly Half, Join Strike
School Meal Cooks Also Announce Strike on 19th

Elementary care workers, including members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' National School Irregular Workers' Union, held a nationwide care classroom general strike resolution rally on the 6th in front of the Democratic Party office in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, urging improvements in working conditions such as the transition to an 8-hour full-time schedule. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporters Jo In-kyung, Yoo Byung-don, Lee Jung-yoon, Intern Reporter Lee Joon-hyung] "Last time it was a school meal strike, and now it's a care strike again. Is it really this hard to send kids to school?"

Lee Seon-ju (36, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi Province), a working parent, couldn't focus on work all morning on the 6th. This was because elementary school care workers nationwide went on strike for a day, leaving no suitable place to leave her child after school. After receiving a notice about the suspension of care classes the day before, Lee said, "I've already used all my annual leave. So I asked my husband, who was going to work today, if he could take a half-day off in the afternoon. I'm worried because I don't know how to get through today, and now they might strike again."

Elementary school care workers, who look after children for a few hours after school, went on strike on the 6th. It is estimated that about 6,000 of the approximately 13,000 care workers across 17 cities and provinces participated in the strike. They are demanding the withdrawal of the bill that transfers the operation of care services to local governments. They argue that if local governments take over operations, they will outsource to the private sector, leading to privatization of care services, which could threaten their treatment and employment. They also demand changing the current part-time employment system to a full-time 8-hour system.

With no agreement reached with the government and the strike underway, affected parents hurriedly took leave or relied on the "grandparents' chance" to cope. The Ministry of Education is guiding schools to have principals, vice principals, and other administrators participate in care or to use home care or community care institutions. The problem is that this strike may not end with just one day. The School Irregular Workers Solidarity Conference (Hakbi Solidarity), which includes the National Education Public Officials Headquarters, the National School Irregular Workers Union (Hakbi Union), and the National Women's Union, held a general strike press conference around 10 a.m. on the 6th in front of the Democratic Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, and in various locations nationwide. They warned that if there is no progress in withdrawing the All-day Care Act and discussions on switching to full-time employment, they will launch additional strikes within this month. Kim (47), a care worker participating in the strike, said, "I don't feel good leaving my children behind, but I hope this strike will open the door to dialogue with the education authorities."

On the 6th, in front of the main gate of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, participants are shouting slogans at the "General Strike Rally of Elementary Care Workers to Strengthen the Public Nature of School Care," hosted by the Seoul Branch of the National Education Public Officials Union of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Public Transport Workers' Union. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Not only care workers but also school meal cooks are threatening to strike, increasing instability in the education field. School meal cooks in Seoul's elementary, middle, and high schools plan to hold a general strike for two days on the 19th and 20th of this month. A Ministry of Education official said, "We have started working-level discussions on the agenda to promptly operate the 'Elementary Care Operation Improvement Council' proposed on the 3rd," adding, "We will work with the Council of Superintendents, care unions, teacher organizations, and others to resolve the issue."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.