On February 1, 2007, China Labour Bulletin Director, Han Dongfang, addressed a seminar on the Chinese labour movement at the University of Montreal's Centre for International Studies and Research.
In his opening remarks, Han addressed the question of whether or not China actually needs a labour movement. He argued that the government's "top-down" approach to dealing with labour issues simply was not working, as evidenced by China's appalling coal mine safety record and the debilitating work-related diseases seen in factories across the country. Han stressed the need for democratic unions and collective bargaining to address these problems. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), he said, was out of touch with the workers, and served only the government and managers. Han pointed out that the legal provisions already exist in China for collective bargaining; the Labour Law and 1992 Trade Union Law stipulate that unions should represent workers' interests. And he suggested that the government should take the first step in encouraging negotiated settlements, thereby reducing the mutual fear and distrust that exists on both sides, otherwise tension will continue to build, strikes and violent demonstrations will intensify, and the inevitable rebellion against the government will result.
In the question and answer session, Han criticized the "naive" approach of some international labour organizations' constructive engagement with the ACFTU and foreign companies' codes of conduct. Han compared corporate social responsibility to animal rights, saying that codes of conduct implied that the workers, like animals, had no voice of their own. If you want to protect human rights, he said, you should treat workers like human beings. It is important to build civil society and respect the rule of law because although the judicial system in China is not independent, Han said, the more people use it, the more beneficial results will arise. Chinese workers and citizens should engage with the government not just sit back and criticize it. The communist party is not monolithic, he said, it is possible to talk to some sections of it and make things better.
Han's address was made in English. To view Han's opening remarks and or the question and answer session click here. We apologize that the audio quality, especially from the questioners, is not always that clear.