On 24 February, 2003, over 300 workers from the Wuhan Iron and Steel Group Corporation gathered in front of the corporation’s management office to protest against proposed changes to the plant’s medical health care service that would effectively leave them without any medical cover at all.

China Labour Bulletin was able to interview several people involved.

The proposed changes include a substantial increase to the amount of money each person has to pay to cover their medical costs. Currently each worker has to pay 180 Renminbi a year to cover medical costs with the Plant covering the rest. According to a union official interviewed by CLB, the proposed increase will mean that retirees will not be able to pay and will simply have to stop visiting the hospital.

In response to the protests, CLB learned that each factory within the plant has its own official trade union and that the trade union leaders were instructed to get their members to end the strike. Workers at the plant were also visited at home by the union officials and warned not to participate in the protests


If you want to find out more contact:
Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation offices: telephone + 86 278689 2318
Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation Letters and Complaints Office: telephone + 86 2786892004
Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation Union: telephone + 86 2786892585