Workers’ Peaceful Sit-in Turned Out to be a Clash with Police, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia (II)
07 July 2005[Broadcast on
After the clash between the police and the retrenched workers from Inner Mongolia North Heavy Industries Group Ltd [NORHEINCO] on 5 July, CLB reached different parties to see how they reacted to this incident.
Medical Staff:
Hello, Emergency Room.
Han Dongfang [Han]:
Emergency room, may I talk to him [the injured worker]?
Medical Staff:
He is hospitalized, now in another room, we are examining him.
Han:
Is his condition very bad?
Medical Staff:
His condition has been changing, I can’t tell for sure. You know, we worry about his condition and that is why we required him to stay in the hospital.
Han:
How about the other two [injured workers]?
Medical Staff:
Both have been hospitalized. Three of them altogether. Two in the Rehabilitation Ward and one in Ward Three of Department of Orthopedics.
Han:
What happened to the patient in the Department of Orthopedics?
Medical Staff:
We suspected he might have some fracture in his bone and we had asked him to stay in the hospital for further examination.
Han:
Where is the fracture?
Medical Staff:
It may be a vertebral transverse process.
Han:
Where is it?
Medical Staff:
In his waist.
Han:
What was the cause of his injuries? Because he fell or something else?
Medical Staff:
I can’t tell you that. Are you a reporter? I am only a doctor and that is a huge factory, you know what I mean. I have my limitation.
The
Han:
Hello, is it the trade union?
Trade Union:
We don’t know anything about it. You should ask the Department of Propaganda and the
Han:
Isn’t it an issue about workers’ right? How come the trade union did nothing?
Trade Union:
An issue of Workers’ rights?
Han:
Indeed.
Trade Union:
You better call the re-employment centre. They have staff members who would handle this kind of specific issues.
Han:
Yet, this case involves workers’ rights. Isn’t it the trade union’s responsibility to defend and represent the workers?
Trade Union:
Well, well, you just call the re-employment center, okay?
Han:
I just want to know if the trade union would intervene in this case. For example, would you talk to the factory about the issue of wage arrears on the behalf of the workers?
Trade Union:
I’m sorry. I can’t answer your questions.
Han:
Why not?
Trade Union:
Because I haven’t met you in person.
Han:
It is quite a straightforward question.
Trade Union:
I can’t tell you over the phone.
Han:
This is simply a question of trade union’s legal responsibility. Why can’t you answer it over the phone?
Trade Union:
You do know the Trade Union Law pretty well.
Han:
Well, there is nothing complicated, just a law, very clear law. You just have to tell if the trade union has the responsibility to guard the workers’ rights.
Trade Union:
I am sorry. I can’t tell you.
Han:
Pardon?
Trade Union:
I don’t know. I have no idea.
Han:
Have they [the workers] visited the trade union?
Trade Union:
No.
Han:
Has the trade union looked for the workers?
Trade Union:
I am sorry, I have other tasks to handle. Please contact other departments for details.
Han:
May I know your name?
Trade Union:
I can’t tell you.
Han:
Which department of the union are you in?
Trade Union:
The Administration Department of the union.
As instructed, CLB called the NORHEINCO’s department of propaganda.
Han:
Hello, is it NORHEINCO’s department of propaganda?
Department of Propaganda:
Yes. Yet, I don’t know [about the clash], I know nothing about it.
Han:
But the trade union officer said I could ask the department of propaganda for details.
Department of Propaganda:
We don’t know. You better ask the trade union again.
Han:
But he said you knew it better.
Department of Propaganda:
They just want to shift the task to us, how could I possibly know [about the clash between workers and police]?
The
Medical Staff:
The old lady has left. She doesn’t have money. The factory [NORHEINCO] keeps delaying the payment [of medical fees] and it just doesn’t want to pay. The old lady said she would go home to get some money.
At last, CLB managed to get in touch with the old lady who was injured. The following are her accounts:
The Injured Old Lady:
I still have to stay in bed. I feel very dizzy and feel like vomiting. There is some fracture in my waist, a bone fracture. I have stopped taking the medicine today, because the factory wouldn’t pay for it. My family went to complain about that at the factory but they haven’t returned yet.
Han:
Can you tell me about the assault on that day?
The Injured Old Lady:
I went to meet the factory leaders, but they hid away and refused to meet us. I told them: “You can’t solve the problem by hiding away, we will send a representative to go in to meet you and you have to talk to us. We have reasons to fight for our rights.” After that, I went in with another old lady. We two were among the first to go in. We went to the western building of the factory. Some people were there and stopped us. So we were stuck at the duty room. There was a security guard in the duty room, a young boy. He told me, “Don’t go in. What do you want to do inside?” I told him, “You’re working and I’m doing my work here too. I need to talk to the [factory] leaders, to tell them our opinions and suggestions. They don’t come to talk to us, so we, as the workers’ representatives, come to talk to them.” He then said, “No, we won’t allow you in.” So they blocked us in the duty room and started pushing us. The security guards hit me, they started it first.
Han:
How did they attack you? What did they use?
The Injured Old Lady:
With their fists. They hit at my breasts and you know I am a woman. I am not as strong as the security guards. Some people in police uniform came, all together about more ten people came, including another old lady and her daughter. They stopped me, pushed me, grabbed my arms and beat me. I fell and the back of my head hit the ground. I just lay there and couldn’t manage to sit up. I felt very weak and I can’t recall what happened afterwards. How did I get up? Where did the ambulance take me to? I just fainted and when I woke up, I was already at the
Han:
Did anyone witness their attack?
The Injured Old Lady:
Some police there, the old lady who came with me, one other woman. In total, two other old lady, a younger woman and me, four of us. When they beat me, I remember they [the three witnesses mentioned] were there. We told them, “Don’t use violence. We are coming here to solve problems, not to fight. We aren’t troublemakers.” But the security guards didn’t listen to us. They just grabbed me and beat me.
Han:
Were you the representatives elected by the workers?
The Injured Old Lady:
They [the factory] said they wanted us to pick five representatives, but after we found the representatives, they locked the door and refused to let us in.
Han:
Were you one of the five representatives?
The Injured Old Lady:
Yes. At that time, they [the factory] requested to see the representatives, so I came in. Actually at the main gate, there were police and they beat us up when we tried to get in. It happened a few days ago [on 5 July]. I went there because we heard that the factory asked to meet the representatives. But when we got there, we found the gate was locked. You know what, they even told our families: “We won’t admit that we beat you people, under whatever circumstances.” They are very firm about it, till now, they don’t admit that they have beaten us.
Han:
Who said that to the workers?
The Injured Old Lady:
The chief of the Public Security Bureau, who started beating the workers.
Han:
Did he beat you too?
The Injured Old Lady:
Yes, on my breasts, two punches.
Han:
You mean you were beaten by that PSB chief?
The Injured Old Lady:
Yes, he started it. I was first beaten by that PSB chief [at the main gate], then again by the security guards. When I arrived at the building, he knocked me out.
Han:
Where did the assault take place?
The Injured Old Lady:
By the factory gate. They pulled me in, otherwise how could I get into the factory compound [as the gate was usually shut]? They opened the gate. I told them I wanted to enter and talk. First, they pushed me out. When they pushed me, the PSB chief hit my breasts twice, then he pulled me into the factory and continued beating me. I said: “Why are you police beating people? Which law have I violated?” They [didn’t reply and] just continued hitting me. So I tried to escape by heading to the western building. I said, “I must seek an explanation [of your brutal behaviour]. Why are you hitting me like this? I want justice,” as I walked away from him. A police followed me and before I arrived the western building, the security guards had learned about my arrival. So they blocked the way to go up. So the assault first took place at the factory gate, but that was rather harmless compared with what I experienced later. They punched my right breast twice.
Han:
Where did they attack you the second time?
The Injured Old Lady:
Inside the building.
Han:
They were blocking you and wouldn’t let you in. Then, how did you manage to get in?
The Injured Old Lady:
I didn’t really get in that building, just at the staircase. In fact, just by the entrance of the western building. They blocked us there and we started the struggle.
Han:
Did the second assault take place outdoors?
The Injured Old Lady:
Inside the western building. And the PSB chief attacked me by the main gate of the factory.
Han:
How did you get in that building?
The Injured Old Lady:
The building entrance was not blocked. When I got in, somebody from the duty room came out [and stopped me].
Han:
And the security guards beat you there?
The Injured Old Lady:
Yes, they stopped us from going inside the building.
Another worker told CLB he was also beaten by the police.
Han:
So two workers wanted to sue [the factory]?
Worker:
For me, even if I couldn’t fight for my rights through legal proceeding, I would still go to seek an explanation from them. I need to talk to the one who attacked me; he must explain to me why it happened. That is why I want to sue them.
Han:
Are you saying if there would be a lawyer to represent you, you would be willing to sue them?
Worker:
Yes, I think it will be better if we [factory management and workers] meet first. They have to repay us the overdue wages so that our [labour] relation problems would resolve.
Han:
How long has it [NORHEINCO] owed your unpaid wages?
Worker:
More than seven years.
Han:
More than seven years?
Worker:
Right.
Han:
How many months of wages does it owes you?
Worker:
Seven months. In fact, it owes all workers [wages].
Han:
But the factory owes you seven months of unpaid wages?
Worker:
All regular workers at Number Two Machinery Factory have wages in arrears, not only my group of people, but all workers.
Han:
You mean if you win the case, it will also benefit the whole factory?
Worker:
Right, not only the retrenched workers were affected, but everybody in the factory was owed.
He further gave more details about the workers’ protest.
Worker:
We all went there today, we arrived before . In front of the factory compound, it stocked a team of anti-riot police, some dozens of police vehicles, about 100 police. They went to the south and disperse the crowds.
Han:
Where did they disperse the workers?
Worker:
About 40-50 meters from the factory gate, at the pedestrian path.
Han:
When did it happen?
Worker:
Some time after .
Han:
When did the workers arrive?
Worker:
A bit after 8.30.
Han:
So the workers were dispersed before long.
Worker:
Right. They saw that we came as a stream, getting more and more people. 30 to 40 police vehicles stopped by the factory. We didn’t arrive at the factory gate, maybe 60 to 70 metres away, on the pedestrian path. They [the police] walk forward and forced the people to move backward.
When being asked about the trade union’s involvement, this worker commented:
Worker:
The factory’s union didn’t represent for us, they never did.
Han:
Have you sought help from the trade union?
Worker:
We have done that in the past, but they just ignored us.
CLB called the trade union again to see if it had any further comments.
Trade Union:
I think the whole thing should be handled by the factory itself. The factory needs to come up with a solution, an explanation. I think that will be the best for the factory. The wages are usually handled by the labour department, you better ask them. It is usual that the factory would owe the workers their wages in time of difficulties, not really a big deal. It is just a way of social transformation, almost unavoidable.
According to the information released on the Chinese website of NORHEINCO on 1 July, Zeng Qinghong, the vice-president of the People’s Republic of