Workers on the defensive, but situation explosive

Chinese social media platform The Sound of Hammer recently posted a report on labour disputes in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone in first quarter of 2015. It listed 23 strikes, labour protests and other demonstrations.

Approximately 26,000 workers were involved in these incidents; the largest involved 8,000 workers, who went on strike in a footwear factory in Dongguan.

There are tens of millions of workers in this region, so the situation is far from an insurgency. Indeed, most of the incidents were defensive. One-third of the actions were in response to a factory closure or relocation. In these cases, the strikes could not hurt bosses much.

As usual, local governments were on the side of the bosses. In 11 cases, police used violence and arrested strikers or protesting workers.

Only one clear victory was registered, in a strike in a Citizen watch factory.

Unpaid social security contributions were a factor in half of the reported incidents. This issue has been building for two decades. Many workers who have toiled for years, especially the first generation of migrant workers, are now suddenly finding out that they won’t get any income after they retire.

The first generation of migrant workers generally are less educated, and can’t lodge a legal challenge without assistance. In many cases they have limited understanding of the law.

Labour NGOs have helped in this area, playing important supporting roles such as writing legal documents and giving lectures about labour laws to workers.

But intensified state repression has made it increasingly difficult for labour NGOs to survive. Their funds are drained, their staff are harassed, and their offices are shut down. A recent example was the assault of labour activist Peng Jiayong, who was kidnapped by cops and severely beaten in April after helping workers in one of the strikes listed in this report.

If Chinese exports continue to decline, the factory closures and relocations will continue and even become more prevalent.

Issues such as social security payments are time bombs that will inevitably explode and bring about greater industrial unrest in this region. When it will happen, however, is anyone’s guess.

Victories are not impossible. After eight months and three strikes, 2,700 workers from the Lide footwear factory in Panyu, Guangzhou, recently registered a win in their campaign for social insurance, housing and overtime payments, among other things.

Importantly, although activists from labour NGOs had helped throughout the whole process, the elected workers’ representatives were the backbone of the struggle.

The leaders of the future labour movement are emerging in the current dark days.