The Workers' Movement in China - China Labour Bulletin

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SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS, 2007-08 11 yuan in 2007. By 2008, it had reached 1,000 yuan. The global financial crisis however put the brakes on this trend. On 17 November 2008, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security issued a circular which called for the suspension of all minimum wage increases until the economic situation improved. According to official statistics, the disposable incomes for both rural and urban households continued to grow steadily until late 2008. In 2007, the average annual income for rural residents was 4,140 yuan, an increase of 9.5 percent over the previous year, after allowing for inflation. In 2008, rural income increased by another 8.0 percent in real terms to reach 4,761 yuan. The average disposable income for urban residents in 2007 equalled 13,786 yuan, up 12.2 percent in real terms, and increased by a further 8.4 percent in 2008 to reach 15,781 yuan. A wide-ranging survey carried out between May and September 2008 by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences clearly showed that the gap between the rich and the poor in China continues to grow. In 2007, the per capita annual household income of the top 20 percent of urban and rural residents was 17 times higher than the lowest 20 percent. Average annual household income levels in eastern China were 2.03 times higher than in western China, and 1.98 times higher than in central China. The most pressing concerns cited by respondents to the survey were; “rising prices” (63.5 percent), “difficulty and cost of getting medical treatment” (42.1 percent) and the “excessive income gap” (28 percent). 10 In response to these concerns, in 2007, the central government expanded the provision of the minimum subsistence allowance ( !) to include, for the first time, rural residents in all regions of 10 Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. “ !"#$%&'()*+,- - 2008_2009 !"#$%&'()*+” (Turning the tide: New Challenges facing China’s social development-Social Analysis and Forecasts 2008-2009) in Ru Xin ( ), Lu Xueyi ( ), Li Peilin ( ) eds.-in-chief 2009 !"#$%&' (Analysis and forecasts of the state of Chinese society, 2009), Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China), 2008, 1-14
12 GOING IT ALONE China. The number of rural residents receiving the allowance almost doubled in 2007 to more than 34 million (16 million households). However the average sum drawn was just 70 yuan per person per month. In 2008, nearly 43 million rural residents (19.6 million households) received an average allowance of 82.3 yuan per person per month. In the cities meanwhile, the number of urban residents claiming the allowance increased by 937,000 during the study period, with the average allowance at the end of 2008 standing at 205 yuan per person per month. 11 In addition to extending coverage of the minimum subsistence allowance system, the central government adopted a wide range of taxation and other social welfare measures, in particular the abolition of the agricultural tax, to ease the burden of China’s poorest citizens and reduce the rich-poor gap. However, these endeavours to “return wealth to the people” ( !) have not significantly brightened perceptions of life quality among either rural or urban populations. According to China’s “life satisfaction index” ( !"), there has been no significant increase in the people’s level of satisfaction with their lives since the beginning of the decade. (See table below). The scores in the table are based on a scale from one to five, with five indicating a high degree of satisfaction and one a high degree of dissatisfaction. 12 11 “ !"#$%&'” (Statistical report on civil affairs development), see Ministry of Civil Affairs website 12 Sources: Yuan Yue, Zhang Hui ( !"): “Survey into quality of life of people in China for 2007,” in Ru Xin, Liu Xueyi, Li Peilin ( , , ) eds.-in-chief, 2008; Analysis and forecasts of the state of Chinese society, 2008 ( !"#$% ), Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China), 2008, 155-168; Yuan Yue, Zhang Hui: “Survey into quality of life of people in China for 2008,” in Ru Xin, Liu Xueyi, Li Peilin ( , , ) eds.-in-chief, 2009; Analysis and forecasts of the state of Chinese society, 2009 ( !"#$%&'(), Beijing: Social Sciences Academic Press (China), 2008, 49-64.
Page 1 and 2: China Labour Bulletin ulletin GOING
Page 3 and 4: About China Labour Bulletin Founded
Page 6 and 7: Introduction In early November 2008
Page 8: INTRODUCTION 7 wages, better workin
Page 11: 10 GOING IT ALONE their jobs in the
Page 15 and 16: 14 GOING IT ALONE involved 650,000
Page 17 and 18: 16 GOING IT ALONE But mine disaster
Page 19 and 20: 18 GOING IT ALONE payments to be ma
Page 21 and 22: 20 GOING IT ALONE 2. disputes arisi
Page 23 and 24: ing to use the mediation, arbitrati
Page 25 and 26: 24 GOING IT ALONE hukou, and eight
Page 27 and 28: 26 GOING IT ALONE - On 13 February
Page 29 and 30: 28 GOING IT ALONE were a major reas
Page 31 and 32: 30 GOING IT ALONE - On 6 and 7 Marc
Page 33 and 34: 32 GOING IT ALONE sisting that: “
Page 35 and 36: 34 GOING IT ALONE Local governments
Page 37 and 38: 36 GOING IT ALONE blocks after the
Page 39 and 40: 38 GOING IT ALONE Hunan, staged a s
Page 41 and 42: 40 GOING IT ALONE - On 13 February
Page 43 and 44: 42 GOING IT ALONE In many cases, ho
Page 45 and 46: 44 GOING IT ALONE Industry-specific
Page 47 and 48: 46 GOING IT ALONE did not, however,
Page 49 and 50: 48 GOING IT ALONE On 23 November, a
Page 51 and 52: 50 GOING IT ALONE In large part, wo
Page 54 and 55: Chapter Three: The Trade Union Orga
Page 56 and 57: THE TRADE UNION 55 During the perio
Page 58 and 59: THE TRADE UNION 57 relevant Party o
Page 60 and 61: THE TRADE UNION 59 The ACFTU’s re
Page 62 and 63:
THE TRADE UNION 61 Hong Kong-based
Page 64 and 65:
THE TRADE UNION 63 In early 2008, A
Page 66 and 67:
THE TRADE UNION 65 pay. They also l
Page 68 and 69:
THE TRADE UNION 67 Since 2002, the
Page 70 and 71:
THE TRADE UNION 69 union bosses tur
Page 72 and 73:
THE TRADE UNION 71 to working depar
Page 74 and 75:
Conclusion In 2007-08, China’s wo
Page 76 and 77:
CONCLUSION 75 went over his head an
Page 78 and 79:
CONCLUSION 77 have to overcome its
Page 80 and 81:
Appendix: 100 workers’ protests,
Page 82 and 83:
100 workers’ protests, 2007-2008
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88:
APPENDIX 87 Major news sources used
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90 GOING IT ALONE Bone and Blood: T
Page 93 and 94:
92 GOING IT ALONE tive cases, and d
Page 95 and 96:
94 GOING IT ALONE !"#$%&'()*)+,-./
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