Chinese Workers Protest Lack Of Severence Pay After 6,500 Lose Jobs

[Azlady]

Source: Gant Daily

Linda Young - AHN Editor
Hong Kong, China (AHN) - Chinese workers are protesting after three large toy factories in Guangdong province, which supplied American companies, went out of business and threw more than 6,500 people out of work.

Workers complained that although they had received all their pay checks, that they hadn't received severance pay.

Liquidators have already taken control of a toymaker that supplied such major U.S. brands as Mattel and Disney.

Smart Union Group (Holdings) Limited cited the global financial crisis and said it was in the process of seeking help from Hong Kong's High Court to wrap up its affairs, with liquidators appointed to take possession of the assets of the company and its subsidiaries.



Read more: http://www.gantdaily.com/news/36/ARTICLE/33938/2008-10-17.html

---

Toxic toys back lash... perhaps Mattel & Disney will start using USA workers, in the USA to make their toys!

[Billy Burnett]

1. Gettin' a taste of the American dream.

:eyes:

[WriteDown]

2. They can have it in lead n/t

[Indenturedebtor]

3. Don't blame the workers, blame the execs

Anyways welcome to the American Dream folks. Welcome aboard.

[OhioChick]

4. Welcome to the American way of life.

A job one day, a pink slip the next.

K&R

[ChromeFoundry]

5. Global Economy = Global Problems

Well, I guess if this treatment is fair for the former U.S. Factory worker, IT worker, R&D Specialist, Engineer, Call Center worker, and yes, the former Toy Factory worker that did not paint their products with Lead based paint. Welcome to the new world of "free-trade" where nobody has voice because there is always another country to exploit.

K&R!

[Azlady]

6. Excellent post ChromeFoundry! n/t

[Pharlo]

10. At this point in time, it's entirely possible

that these jobs aren't being shipped to a 'cheaper country' so much as being eliminated due to slow sales in countries where they get sold.

[OhioChick]

12. If they were a supplier to

major U.S. brands as Mattel and Disney, I'm sure they're going somewhere else. Especially with Christmas on it's way.

[Blue_Tires]

7. there is ALWAYS a country with cheaper labor and fewer regulations and standards

i'll be interested to see what country is the "bottom" -- where like half of the world's factories end up...

[eilen]

8. Indonesia? North Korea? nt

[ihavenobias]

9. K & R. What's wrong with toxic toys? I figure they're the consolation prize for the loss of jobs

and depressed wages.

It's the "free" part of "Free" Trade.

;)

[ryanmuegge]

11. LOL. GM thinks they're going to sell their cars in China. People making the equivalent of $2 a month

don't buy cars. I'm sure there is some level of stratification in China. Some people have become rich, I'm sure, but with a government that restrictive, I don't see how very many of them have.

So much for that global middle class that that moron Thomas Friedman talked about. This is a global serf class.

The fact that Nixon, both of the Bush administrations, Clinton, and the corporate elite who set policy in this country wanted to industrialize China and India shows how evil they are, and also how little they care about the planet. For one, there is not enough food or energy for two countries of over a billion people to live like we do (a totally inexcusable level of consumption, regardless of population). Second, it's going to bring about an climate change Armageddon even quicker. Why should those countries be rewarded for their inexcusable populations?

[ohio2007]

13. GM closes plants in Michigan in retaliation

The #1 car sold in China is made by GM. dunno why the growing middle and upper class want an american car as their status symbol but, they do .

Coal miners union is always looking for laborors paying $2 a day.They don't buy into the carbon credit footprint market.

[ryanmuegge]

14. I find that surprising.