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Striking Worker Rumors Hit South China
By Paul Midler | August 28, 2007
A colleague reports that a number of wildcat strikes are under way in South China. Here is a snippet from a note I just received:
I got a confidential email from a supplier saying his folks are staging department strikes and slow downs and that it is happening across Guangdong Province because of the new labor law.
What appears to be going on: Labor law had stipulated that workers shall receive one month salary for each year they put in, but a new labor law just enacted is vague on this point. As a result, workers are demanding their one-month of severance at the time it is accrued, instead of at the end of service. Sweeping changes to labor law were supposed to have been an improvement for low-wage workers.
Those outside of manufacturing may not understand the dealing in rumor. It has to do with lack of press freedoms in China. Is news like this of any value? Might be when you can’t figure out why a supplier is making excuses for not meeting a production deadline. Feel free to drop notes to info[at]thechinagame[dot]com, or leave comment.
Topics: Labor Issues, China |