Abstract

The current situation of women construction workers and policy suggestions
Type Basic Period 2020
Manager Kyung-Hee Kim Date 2021-04-28
Fiie [Basic] The current situation of women construction workers and policy suggestions - Kyung-Hee Kim.pdf ( 35.04 KB )

Abstract

 

The current situation of women construction workers and policy suggestions

 

Kyung-Hee Kim

Dool-Soon Kim

Yun-Young Nam-Gung

Yu-Mi Im

Myung-Sook Jun

 

This study aims to examine the current situation and working environment of women workers employed in construction industry, as well as the sexual discrimination that women construction workers experience in a male-centred workplace. Policy suggestions are made to support more women entering the male-dominant construction skilled-labour sector.

 

The study presents literature reviews on women’s employment in the construction industry, overseas case studies on programmes to support women construction workers, data on the employment situation of construction workers by gender and of women construction workers, and policy suggestions. As well as an analysis of literature and data, research methods include a survey of 507 women construction workers and interviews with 30 such workers. Policy suggestions for improvements drawn from the research results are as follows. Firstly, legislation of an Act to Support Women in Unusual Jobs (Provisional) is recommended in order to increase women’s participation in sectors like the construction industry where they are under represented. Secondly, there is a need to develop training programmes run by women educators for work in the construction field. According to the survey, whilst 45 per cent of women surveyed responded that they have plans to attain certificates related to construction work, 35 per cent would prefer to attend vocational schools run by women’s organizations, compared to 27.6 per cent preferring training by trade unions, and 19.3 per cent preferring training through private schools. According to interviews, women construction workers have frequent physical contact with the educators in construction skills classes, and so they prefer to have women teachers. Further, women with construction experience employed as educators can act as role models for women trainees.

 

Thirdly, education and training need to be expanded for the skill development of women construction workers. It has been reported that more than half of women workers in construction fields are general and unskilled workers. In order to enable women to enhance their skill levels and learn new techniques, training programmes need to be developed for semi-skilled women workers.

 

Fourthly, it is necessary to include a criterion on women’s participation in the selection and evaluation of vocational training institutions for the construction occupations. Given that the Ministry of Employment and Labor is in charge of the selection of vocational training institutions for construction occupations through the Mutual Aid Association of Construction Workers, granting incentives for those institutions which have better performance in the recruitment of women trainees can be considered as an initiative to foster more women construction technicians and enhance their skills.

 

Fifthly, sex discrimination in employment practice should be stopped and education to prevent sexual harassment expanded. The results of the survey show that many women construction workers have experienced discrimination on the grounds of sex. In particular, wage discrimination was most commonly cited among respondents, with 31.2 per cent reporting such an experience, followed by discrimination in recruitment at 23.3 per cent, and assignment of additional tasks at 17.2 per cent. According to the interviews, many women have experienced difficulty finding employment, or being assigned to simple tasks like cleaning because they are women, so that they have had no chance to learn new techniques and develop their skills. Also, 26.4 per cent of respondents say that they had been sexually harassed, and among them, 34.3 per cent say that they have experienced sexual harassment more than ten times. In some cases, male workers act or speak in such a way as to cause sexual harassment without realizing what it is. Thus, education to prevent sexual harassment is essential in order to make women and men work well together in the male-centred construction industry, and the targets of such education must include managers as well as both male and female workers.

 

Sixthly, it is necessary to provide gender-specified facilities and safety kits. The results of the survey show that in many cases women construction workers find facilities which do not consider women’s needs; and safety equipment, such as shoes and hats, which do not fit women’s bodies. Concerning changing facilities at their places of employment, a room with a sink is most commonly reported, at 66.5 per cent, whereas changing rooms for women with a bathroom or shower booths are only reported by 14.6 per cent and 9.5 per cent, respectively. Also, many women workers are very unhappy that there is no room provided for women to change their clothes or to rest during break times. Therefore, related laws should be amended to ensure that when build facilities for construction workers there must be consideration of gender. Concerning safety equipment, 56 per cent of women construction workers who responded the survey expressed that they feel uncomfortable using the equipment provided. The biggest reason for this response, with 57.4 per cent, was “because they don’t fit”. When women use the safety equipment which does not fit, it can lead to accidents and reduction of work efficiency, and therefore cause a vicious circle to avoid recruiting women workers. In order to foster women as skilled construction technicians, it should improve the male-biased safety equipment, which causing inconvenience, threatening women workers’ safety, and disturbing women’s work.

Seventhly, it is necessary to give a gender-sensitive education to job counsellors. When they have a stereotype of gender-segregated jobs, it is not easy to recommend construction work, which is perceived for men, to women. Rather than giving an advice to women to work in conventional jobs for women, job counsellors should help women to design their occupations suitable for their characters and to prepare for employment by getting them informed of jobs from a gender-sensitive perspective, and of technical training and jobs available to women in construction industry.

 

Research areas: labor, gender consciousness, gender impact assessment

Keywords: occupational gender segregation, gob training, woman construction worker, gender needs