Broadcast on March 13, 2003.
On January 2, 2003, more than 1,000 retired workers from the Tieshu Textile Group in Suizhou city Hubei province blocked the Wuhan-Xiangfan line for over two hours. The retired employees organised the protest after the company cancelled its contribution to their pension cheques [the pension payments are partly covered by the company and part covered by the government CLB]. Two months after the protest, the retirees had still not received a positive answer to their demands. For two consecutive days, from March 12 to March 13, 300 retirees stood in the pouring rain and blocked the entrance to their former workplace. They were demanding that the enterprise's director come out and negotiate with their representatives. A listener called to describe the scene on the afternoon of March 13:
Listener:
I went down there at two oclock in the afternoon. There were some workers standing at the factory gates. The weather has been awful today and its raining. The workers said that all of the (retired) workers would come down to the factory as soon as the weather cleared up.
Han Dongfang (Han):
Had they put up any banners?
Listener:
Yes. Theyd written Stop Corruption Seize the Woodworm on the banners. [Woodworm is a Chinese term for corrupt people - CLB]
Han:
Stop Corruption Seize the Woodworm
Listener:
Thats right Stop Corruption Seize the Woodworm. You got a problem with your hearing pal? There were about three hundred workers blocking all the Tieshu factory gates and they werent letting workers through. Some of the guys coming out were saying that anyone wanting to go to work should find a hole in the fence and go through. Thats what I heard them saying when I was down there. [It is unclear if this was an instruction from management or from workers inside the factory].
Han:
Was production affected?
Listener:
Oh yes! Seriously affected. The workers representatives were saying that they wanted the boss to come out and negotiate and they were staying put until that happened. We're not causing any trouble or doing anything illegal...we just want an answer. We are worried about what they will do next is what they told me.
Han:
Can you see whats going on down there at the gates at the moment?
Listener:
There's a banner across the main gate with six words written on it red with that slogan Stop Corruption Seize the Woodworm. Its up there right now.
Han:
How many people are down there?
Listener:
Not so many at the moment, a few dozen at most. The others have gone to get some food.
China Labour Bulletin then telephoned the general office of the Tieshu Group and a person working there confirmed the incident but did not go into detail:
Employee:
Were [or: Theyre] still at work! [It is unclear if this refers to staff continuing their work or the protesters continuing their protest].
Han:
Have they out there again today then?
Employee:
Er
yes there are a few down there.
Han:
What time did they arrive today?
Employee:
After one oclock this afternoon. I couldnt say how many altogether?
Han:
Are they still there or have they left?
Employee:
Theyve left.
Han:
What are their main demands?
Employee:
Ive no idea!
Han:
I heard they were here yesterday as well, is that right?
Employee:
Maybe.
Han:
So how will this matter be dealt with?
Employee:
I
I couldnt tell you.
Han:
Do you know which factory department is dealing with it?
Employee:
I dont know that either
anyway, it's all taking place down at the gate. A few of them.
Han:
How many?
Employee:
(Laughing) Couldnt be sure how many. We werent there.
Han:
Have they blocked the gates so people cant get in and out?
Employee:
I dont know. We have just
we were sorting something else out and then came in.
Han:
Does the trade union know anything about this business?
Employee:
You can ask him. I dont know.
China Labour Bulletin then called the Tieshu Group trade union office. The chairperson told us that the protest was a rumour.
Trade Union:
What? Nothing like that has happened.
Han:
Nothing at all?
Trade Union:
That's right. Perhaps you have picked up on a rumour.
Han:
Rumour?
Trade union:
Yes.
Han:
That's impossible. This protest has been going on for two days hasn't it?
Trade union:
Can you hold the line, I'll get the chairperson to come and talk to you.
Han:
Thanks.
Trade union:
I am sorry but the chairperson isn't here today. Call us again tomorrow. Goodbye. (hangs up).
At four o'clock the same afternoon China Labour Bulletin rang another office at the Tieshu Group. By looking out of the window the staff member who answered the phone could see that there were still retired workers blocking the gate.
Han:
The petitioning workers are still there right? They haven't left.
Employee:
Not yet.
Han:
How many people are down there?
Employee:
Just a few.
Han:
Could you say how many from where you are?
Employee:
Ten or twenty.
Han:
Have they blocked the factory gates?
Employee:
Yes.
Han:
Is it possible to come in and out at the moment?
Employee:
No.
Han:
How can twenty or so people block the gates?
Employee:
Yes.
Han:
How?
Employee:
What do you mean how? Come and see for yourself.
Han:
Are they all sitting down?
Employee:
Yes.
Han:
How old are they?
Employee:
Fifty, sixty years old.
Han:
Has production at the factory been affected?
Employee:
Certainly has.
Han:
Did they come yesterday as well?
Employee:
Yes.
Han:
How many?
Employee:
Between forty and fifty came yesterday.
Han:
How many retired workers are still on the company books?
Employee:
More than 2,000.
Han:
Why are there only twenty or so people [protesting]?
Employee:
I don't know how they are organising it. Maybe in shifts.
Han:
Changing shifts you mean?
Employee:
Yes.
Han:
So one shift gets tired and another takes over?
Employee:
Yes.
On March 12, the minister for labour and social security, Zhang Zouji, acknowledged that both collective and individual petitions were taking place in China and that some people were adopting extreme measures in order to express their point of view. Even mass actions were not uncommon. An employee at the Tieshu Group told us during an interview that the grievances at the company were not restricted to retired workers. It also involved dissatisfied workers who had accepted redundancy deals and others who had been forced into buying shares that have collapsed in value.
Han:
What are the demands of these retired workers?
Employee:
Their wages have been reduced [reduction in pension payment - CLB].
Han:
Their wages [pensions] have been reduced?
Employee:
Yes.
Han:
By how much?
Employee:
By varying amounts. Some by one hundred bucks, others by two or even three hundred.
Han:
What was the reason given for the reductions?
Employee:
Bankruptcy!
Han:
In the past, who issued the pensions?
Employee:
It's the portion allocated by the factory that has been reduced.
Han:
You mean the factory is not paying its share of the pensions?
Employee:
Yes.
Han:
Why were the pensions arranged liked this in the first place?
Employee:
Who knows! This fuss is mainly to do with retirement; internal semi-retirement and retired workers.
Han:
Are there any people in your family who count as retired workers?
Employee:
Yes. Retired workers belonging to each category and it involves them all. Also, there are households where both adults are dependent on the company for a livelihood. Our household income will drop by four or five hundred bucks.
Han:
How many retired workers does the company have altogether?
Employee:
Two thousand.
Han:
I heard that there was trouble with them back in January.
Employee:
Yes.
Han:
So could you say that the company has hit a wall? [run up against a problem]
Employee:
I'd say that's about right
Han:
What was the result of the protests last time?
Employee:
Nothing. Right now the factory owes collective capital belonging to the workers
it hasn't been returned yet.
Han:
The factory owes money belonging to the workers' collective funds?
Employee:
Correct. They warned me about your hearing!
Han:
So there are problems connected to employees still working?
Employee:
Yes. Everyone is in trouble, retired workers, employees, semi-retired. It looks like the next step will be redundancy deals and that's bound to lead to more trouble.