(Broadcast on 18 March 2002)
Over 1,000 workers of the Sichuan Guangyuan Textile Factory
have been on strike since last week, 13 March 2002. By 18 March, the strike
was in its sixth day.
A female textile worker talks about the strike and the
arrests and attacks on workers by armed police.
Worker:
The situation hasn't completely returned to normal, the workers have not returned
to work. The managerial staff have started work.
Han:
Have the managerial staff started working?
Worker:
We are at a half-standstill.
Han:
How many workers are still away from work?
Worker:
Over a thousand.
Han:
Over a thousand? I have heard that police were beating up people on the street.
Worker:
Yes.
Han:
Were there any injured?
Worker:
Yes, there were some injured workers.
Han:
Were you there at the time?
Worker:
I was there and saw how they beat up people. They also took away some people
in their vehicles.
Han:
Did they detain people?
Worker:
Some were freed; some were released on bail.
Han:
Are there still any in detention?
Worker:
It seems there are.
Han:
Do you know their names?
Worker:
I don't. In those two days we could not make a telephone call. We tried to call
Interview Focus [jiaodian fangtan] [ed. a popular TV investigative news program]
and Western-China Metropolitan News to invite them out here, but we couldn't
get a line out.
She continued saying that workers went on strike because
they lost confidence in the enterprise and they all wanted to be retrenched.
Worker:
None of us went to work; we lost all hope in the enterprise and we all want
to be retrenched with compensation.
Han:
Workers in your plant want to be retrenched?
Worker:
Yes. It seems that getting retrenched with compensation offers at least a little
more security. They are planning to sell the factory's valuable assets. If they
sell the assets, the textile factory is finished. If the money were here, the
workers may feel a little more assured. In the first half of (last) year workers
felt quite calm; but decreasingly so in the last few months.
Han:
It's because money didn't show up.
Worker:
They didn't even pay any contribution to the pension fund. There is no security
and that is why the workers stopped working. And there is another reason, the
detentions.
Han:
So, are the detentions one of the direct reasons of the strike?
Worker:
One reason is the detentions; the other is that jobs are not guaranteed and
there is no security.
Han:
As a worker, what would you hope the All-China Federation of Trade Unions did
for you?
Worker: (asks the others standing next to her:"What
should the union do? All of you say what you think." Different voices:"Speak
up for us workers." "Uphold justice.") Speak up for the
workers; uphold justice.
So, what was the reaction of the Guangyuan City Federation
of Trade Unions (GFTU)? GFTU official replies:
GFTU Official:
We were there, we were there and carried out some mediation work.
Han:
Mediation? How is that job done?
GFTU Official:
Some people have already resumed work. We will discuss the specific details
in a meeting this afternoon. I cannot give you an answer now.
Han:
The workers said that no contribution to the pension fund has been paid since
1995.
GFTU Official:
It's not that it hasn't been paid. Just fall short with part of it.
Han:
Falling short one or two months is already illegal, isn't it?
GFTU Official:
Well, yes, but this enterprise was a bankrupt one!
Han:
So, shouldn't our trade union represent the workers and negotiate on their behalf?
GFTU Official:
The union wants to represent the workers, but now
I say, don't ask so many questions
now! The union will certainly speak up for the workers. What will we say? We
still need to look into that specifically.
Another worker details the reasons for their strike:
Worker:
We just hope the factory will fulfil their promises. They promised the workers
would have protection; they would have hope. Now several new people came to
run things. They emptied all assets and the real estate. We don't even know
where all the capital has gone . The enterprise doesn't have any money left
and workers' salaries are very low too.
Han:
Does this mean that two years ago the [head] company didn't give any money to
the enterprise but now they sold the enterprise's real estate?
Worker:
Yes, that's it. That's why the workers went on strike. Originally they sold
it for over 85 million, but the enterprise only got 2.9 million. However, our
factory's fixed asset was worth over 200 million.
Han:
So they sold assets worth over 200 million for 85 million and the enterprise
only received 2.9 million?
Worker:
Yes, only over 2 million.
Han:
Have they now sold all the factory's real estate?
Worker:
They sold it all. And they didn't contribute to the pension fund.
Han:
How much did they get for it?
Worker:
We are not sure. We workers feel that this real estate is their lifeblood.
Han:
How long do you think the strike can hold out?
Worker:
It's difficult to estimate, but there hasn't been any normal production up to
now.
He continued saying that the detained workers were those
who just spoke up a few more words than others.
Worker:
He was arrested as soon as he spoke a few words the day before yesterday. The
police were watching.
Han:
Do the workers have any representatives to negotiate?
Worker: There aren't any. We didn't organise this strike; it just happened
spontaneously.
Han:
If you don't have any representatives and you cannot negotiate, how is this
problem going to get solved? How are you going to bring up your demands?
Worker:
Everybody knows that the real estate is all sold and the pension fund contribution
has not been paid up. We want them to contribute to the retirement fund. And
another thing: there is no maintenance whatsoever for our equipment. If we continue
like this, the enterprise will be ruined very soon; it may be closed down in
a couple of years.
I told this worker that the Daqing workers' demonstration
which lasted for more than two weeks now had received full support from the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, which represents trade unions
from 148 countries. The organisation said that they would lodge a complaint
with the UN International Labour Organisation against any crackdown actions.
I asked him if the workers of Guangyuan Textile factory needed such support
from the international union movement. He said:
Worker:
We certainly hope so; very much hope so. We earnestly hope so.
Han:
How many people are now under arrest?
Worker:
Before there were over a dozen. They freed some, but some have still remained
in detention. I don't want to talk too much here. I am a bit scared. color=006666>(Next to him someone says: "All workers are scared.")
All workers are scared; a lot of worries.
Han:
This is a government of the Communist Party. What are you afraid of?
Worker:
We still support the Communist Party. The key problem is there are some things
the local government have not managed well.
Han:
The local government also belongs to the Party. What's there to be scared of?
Worker:
It is hard to say; this is very hard to talk about.
Han:
Are you maybe afraid of the Communist Party?
Worker:
This is very hard to talk about.
Han:
What is it that you really are all afraid of?
Worker: We need to eat; our whole families need to eat.
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