The Long Arm of Chinese Labor Law

[camero]

http://www.inthesetimes.com/comments.php?id=680_0_1_0_C

<snip>

More than 1,200 workers from the Tieshu Textile Factory in the Chinese city of Suizhou peacefully blocked railroad tracks this February to protest corruption among factory managers that had cost them nearly $25 million in pay, pensions and investments.

Hundreds of police broke up the demonstration, beating many and arresting six for “disturbing social order.” It’s not unusual: Employers increasingly refuse to pay workers what they’re owed—nearly $40 billion in 2002.

The violation of labor rights is the dark side of China’s economic boom. But it’s not just a problem for Chinese workers. It’s also a problem for Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, and Mexican workers in the maquiladora assembly plants along the country’s northern border, as hundreds of factories have moved to China.

In a global economy, an injury to Chinese workers becomes an injury to workers from Wisconsin to Ciudad Juarez. That’s the argument of a groundbreaking trade initiative filed by the AFL-CIO in March. By asking the president to impose tariffs on Chinese products, to negotiate a binding agreement with China to enforce labor rights, and to insist on labor rights protections in all trade agreements under the World Trade Organization, the labor federation is the first to employ a 1988 provision in U.S. trade law that defines systematic denial of worker rights as an unreasonable trade practice.

This sort of practice is what we used to call dumping which is exactly what it is. Of course I don't think anyone will actually do this since the corps invest too much money in politicians. Violations of labor laws are unfair trade practices. Welcome to serfdom.

[Warpy]

1. There would be no unemployment problem

....if we all decided to forego wages completely.

Chinese "factory towns" are set up very much like Chinese prisons: dormitory living, no privacy, no say in the running of one's onw life, no marriage, no nothing. The workers are there to work, and the only benefit they derive is being allowed to send money home to elderly parents who can no longer work. There is no shortage of poor rural Chinese who are waiting on lists for a crack at these jobs.

Enforcing fair labor practices is only the beginning. Yes, any goods manufactured overseas in substandard conditions should have a very large punitive tariff attatched to it. Companies that outsourse jobs and still expect the US to be their primary market should also have to face tariffs. We need to equalize things, and US labor simply cannot compete with Chinese near prison labor, not even if those people are paid the full pittance they earn.

This system cannot sustain itself. It has to change.

[camero]

4. You're right it does have to change

Although I am also for taxing American Corps that make products overseas and ship back to the US at high rates. For one, it is not in violation of the WTO agreements so they don't have a leg to stand on in that arena. I also wanted to point out that I noticed it's been US law for quite some time as far as seeing this as an unfair trade practice. The main problem is enforcement because there pretty much is none.

You're correct in that this is only one part of the whole picture and it's just a matter of time before crony capitalism collapses on itself.

[DBoon]

2. An injury to one is an injury to all

n/t

[bubblesby2002]

3. And many of us reap the benefits of cheap Chinese labour

I try only to buy stuff made in Canada. If I can't find what I want in Canadian made, then I will buy American made. I will NOT buy imports from China.

I would like to see what the Bush Admin does with the trade initiative.

Bubbles

ps:7

[camero]

5. In some ways, yes

The vast majority of the time prices do not come down on these products but only winds up as more profit in the executive's pocket. The $150 pair of shoes made in America are still the $150 pair of shoes made in China.

That raised a good question though. I'm now wondering if Canadian law is different from American law in how much of a product can be made or assembled overseas before that product is defined as not Canadian made percentage-wise.

Hey you :hi:

[bubblesby2002]

7. I'll have to research that.

I think that a product must be all made here to put the 'made in Canada' label on things. But I am not sure what our standards are.

How you doin?:hi:

[camero]

8. Not too bad

Got bit by a stupid fireant again. Ouch. They seem to come out when it rains. But the sun came out this afternoon. :)

From what I've heard, the implementation of NAFTA has hurt the Canadians as much as us as far as jobs are concerned.

[bubblesby2002]

9. Back again - had to go for a quick inspection

As a matter of fact, NAFTA has hurt our manufacturing sector. Many people over the last few years have lost their jobs. Additionally, the majority of our tv shows and our magazines are American owned. Up here we fear that NAFTA has opened up American claims to our fresh water as well.

In BC's logging sector NAFTA was supposed to have helped - but again it doesn't seem to matter - the huge logging consortiums in the US consistently place tariffs and duties on our soft wood exports. They say our wood is heavily subsidized and is dumped on the American market. Year after year - we win at the GATT hearings or the NAFTA hearings, where the decision is that we do not subsidize soft wood.

What the hell is a fireant? And the sun is out here too.:7

[camero]

10. Our pols want everything, it's shameful

I don't think NAFTA has really worked for anyone but the corps which it was designed for. I think we lost the wheat fight with Alberta also. The only good thing was it allowed me to see Canada from the loosening of the trucking restrictions. That's about it.

A fireant is like a red ant with venom. They hurt when they bite but not as bad now as when I was introduced to them.

[NewJeffCT]

6. problem with that is...

So much under $50/$100 is made in China that it is nearly impossible to avoid. Many times, you'll see the label "Made in America" on something even if 95% of it is made in China. My wife works for a manufacturing company that does some of that - some of their products are assembled in China and then packaged here in the US and are then labeled as Made in the USA.

Almost 2 years ago, her parents came here from overseas to visit and wanted to bring home some products that were "Made in America", but were not too expensive. We spent many hours over days looking for something and the closest we came was "Made in America (Northern Mariana Islands)" - or something like that.