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China’s Young Workers Fight Back at Foxconn
http://www.labornotes.org/2013/08/china%E2%80%99s-young-workers-fight-back-foxconn“There will never be strikes in my company,” Foxconn CEO Guo Taiming once proclaimed. But just last month, 1,800 workers struck at two Foxconn factories in China—following the example of other Foxconn workers in Taiyuan and Chengdu last year.
Foxconn produces cell phones and other products for Apple and others, and owns property worth $6 billion. It has 1.2 million workers and is the largest sweatshop of ill repute in China. The company drew international headlines when 18 young workers attempted suicide in 2010.
...
At the same time, 1,500 workers of Pulihua in Foshan City, next to Shenzhen, were also on strike. This company also belongs to Foxconn. Workers occupied the hall of the main building and stood against the police till 6 p.m., because management had said the factory would be moved away and all workers would be fired.
Pulihua workers had already stopped work twice this year, first on March 28 and again on June 6. They were not satisfied with the severance pay offered, and management promised to compensate them. The July strike was over the closing date, with workers fearing the company might flee without paying them.
Foxconn produces cell phones and other products for Apple and others, and owns property worth $6 billion. It has 1.2 million workers and is the largest sweatshop of ill repute in China. The company drew international headlines when 18 young workers attempted suicide in 2010.
...
At the same time, 1,500 workers of Pulihua in Foshan City, next to Shenzhen, were also on strike. This company also belongs to Foxconn. Workers occupied the hall of the main building and stood against the police till 6 p.m., because management had said the factory would be moved away and all workers would be fired.
Pulihua workers had already stopped work twice this year, first on March 28 and again on June 6. They were not satisfied with the severance pay offered, and management promised to compensate them. The July strike was over the closing date, with workers fearing the company might flee without paying them.
But here in America, the strike tactic has been demonized into oblivion. It's time to change that.
