Chinese sofa factory workers go on strike

[norml]

Wednesday, November 2, 2005 · Last updated 9:27 p.m. PT

Chinese sofa factory workers go on strike

By ELAINE KURTENBACH
AP BUSINESS WRITER

SHANGHAI, China -- Workers at a factory for the Italian sofa maker DeCoro were striking to protest alleged beatings by a foreign supervisor amid a dispute over pay cuts, workers and local reports said Thursday.

The standoff highlights growing tensions between workers and management in southern China, where migrant laborers willing to work for minimal wages are not as plentiful as they once were thanks to growing opportunities in other regions.

Staff at DeCoro's factory in Shenzhen, an industrial zone bordering Hong Kong, said production had stopped with nearly 3,000 workers staying away to protest an alleged attempt by management to cut wages.

Employees took to the streets Tuesday and were due to meet Thursday with local labor department officials who were attempting to mediate in the dispute, said a worker contacted by phone who would not give his name or title out of fear of punishment by his bosses.

The protesters were further incensed over allegations that a group of foreign managers had beaten three workers, he said.


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http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1310AP_China_Labor_Dispute.html

[Carolab]

1. Hahahahahahahahahahaha

Cheap labor, meet "union protection".

[eleny]

2. Corporate arrogance is in for a big shock

This corp started treating the workers like slaves. The elite can never seem to temper its greed with a humanity. They too often go too far. Good for these workers.

[madrchsod]

3. this is happening all over china

more and more country people are moving into the industrial areas and work cheaper than urban workers..work cheaper? 5-10 cents a hour?

[kurth]

4. Bet they lock the fire exits over there too...

Now, why can't someone beat the shit out of that asshole who beat them? There are 3,000 workers in the factory...

[eleny]

8. I recall a story in Asia Times earlier this year

Some local administrative low life high horse smacked a person on the street because they were in his way on the sidewalk. It caused a demonstration and small riot in that town if memory serves me.

[lovuian]

5. Its amazing in a communist country they don't know the value

of a workers work!!! Thw Worker will rise up every time when oppressed

Europe learned Russia learned and soon America will learn again the lesson and China will learn as well as India!!!

[Gloria]

6. Heard report on Radio Canada Int'l yesterday--there were 70,000

(yes, 70,000) protests in China last year, from labor to land taken for dams, etc.) All the building--the gov't just takes houses/land with very little compensation to build all these new roads, etc. Much friction over this, too.

The lid could blow off the place within 5 years, according to the Globe and Mail reporter being interviewed.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. Can you imagine the cruelty inflicted on those peasants?

"protest alleged beatings" & pay cuts? What the hell, these are the lowest wages in the world already.