Democrats Call on Bush to Support China’s Draft Labor Law

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/11/12/democrats-call-on-bush-to-support-china%e2%80%99s-draft-labor-law/

Democrats Call on Bush to Support China’s Draft Labor Law

by James Parks, Nov 12, 2006

Twenty-seven House Democrats called on the Bush administration to support China’s new Draft Labor Law Contract. The law, which is being considered by the Chinese government, would put in place some of the core internationally-recognized workers’ rights that are common in many other countries.

For example, the proposed law would require employers to negotiate with a trade union before a mass layoff and give workers severance pay for certain kinds of terminations.

While these reforms, standing alone, would not guarantee the full range of basic workers’ rights, they are a step in the right direction. The letter was spearheaded by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), who is poised to become chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, and Democratic Reps. Lynn Woolsey (Calif.), Barbara Lee (Calif.) and Barney Frank (Mass.).

Last month, a report by the Boston-based think tank Global Labor Strategies condemned the U.S. business community for making recommendations to the Chinese government that would gut the proposed law. According to the report:

The obvious motive for such foreign corporations to oppose the law protecting Chinese workers is their fear that it may eliminate the cheap labor costs they now enjoy.

For example, the American Chamber of Commerce People’s Republic of China said in its comments that under the new law, employers “would be inclined to hire fewer people to economize on labor costs.”

Rep. Lee says such comments show that U.S. companies in China do not respect workers’ rights.

This duplicitous U.S. corporate campaign discredits the long-professed claims of many U.S. corporate leaders and testimony before Congress that U.S. companies and investors in China de facto are leading by example, to respect the basic human rights of all Chinese workers and improve their working conditions and living standards.

FULL story at link.

[sarcasmo]

1. U.S. companies in China can kiss my A$$.

Kick and Nom.