The Workers' Movement in China - China Labour Bulletin

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THE WORKERS 37 10,000. Many strikes erupted seemingly without warning when plants were operating normally, and the workers spontaneously downed tools and walked off the job. It is important to note here, however, that in none of the 100 cases in this report or indeed in any media reports we have examined over the last two years, was there any evidence of a trade union calling for strike action. The Chinese government and the ACFTU-sponsored system of collective consultation discourage “extreme behaviour” and do not countenance any action that might be considered unlawful. Blockades of major transport arteries such as roads, bridges and railway lines are another favoured tactic. At least 43 of the 100 cases studied here involved blockades, including 17 in which road blocks were used as a secondary tactic after the launch of strike action. In these cases, workers left the factory and blocked local roads in an attempt to amplify the public impact of their protest and force the government to take notice. In the other 26 actions, road blocks became the primary form of protest as most of the enterprises concerned had gone bust or closed down. Sit-down protests at the factory gate or in public squares, and protest marches were used in 18 cases considered in this report, including six instances in which such protests were auxiliary to strike action. And collective petitioning or sending a representative to local government offices to air workers’ grievances was still a popular tactic in this reporting period, being used in at least 21 cases. Seven petitions concerned the problematic restructuring of SOEs. Only five of the 100 worker protests involved damage to factory or office property, attacks on bosses’ representatives or clashes with security personnel called in by management. These outbursts were again examples of workers giving vent to long-bottled-up dissatisfaction and resentment. - More than 800 mineworkers at Tanjiashan mine in Xiangtan,
38 GOING IT ALONE Hunan, staged a strike on 8 August 2007 over arrears in the payment of final severance packages and social security contributions. Early in the morning of 15 August, more than 200 temporary security guards used physical force to break up the strike. The miners retaliated and in the ensuing melée at least one miner and a security guard were killed. Over 20 other people were injured, and two police cars destroyed by the enraged workers. On 14 January 2008, a worker was injured by a security guard in the workers’ canteen of Maersk Container Industry in Dongguan. Several hundred workers responded by throwing bricks through office windows and burning down the offices and dormitory used by the security force. Some workers said they were angry at years of constantly rising workloads, falling wages, and unprovoked physical abuse by security personnel. 44 The Chinese government has a well-thumbed playbook for dealing with “mass incidents,” based on the 2007 Emergency Response Law, Article 52 of which requires local police and security forces to restore order as quickly as possible after a mass incident that “severely jeopardises public order.” An analysis of the 100 cases in this report shows that the measures taken by local government nationwide to deal with workers’ collective protests were basically in line with the central government’s emergency response measures and legislation. After a strike breaks out, the local government sends in the police to seal off the main factory entrance and prevent workers from getting on to the streets, staging demonstrations or blocking roads, railway lines or bridges. When a blockade does occur, riot police may be called in to persuade participants to abandon the action and allow resumption of traffic. Should the protesters refuse to comply, police may forcibly disperse them. 44 Tang Bo ( ), Zheng Siqi ( ). “ !"#$%&'()” (An extreme incident at Maersk’s Dongguan plant), ! (Yangcheng Evening News), from (NetEase.com), 15 January. 2008.
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 and 12: 10 GOING IT ALONE their jobs in the
Page 13 and 14: 12 GOING IT ALONE China. The number
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: 36 GOING IT ALONE blocks after the
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 88:
APPENDIX 87 Major news sources used
Page 91 and 92:
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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