US/Foreign Companies Upset over China's Move to Empower Labor Unions

[BurtWorm]

“This is really two steps backward after three steps forward,” said Kenneth Tung, Asia-Pacific director of legal affairs at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Hong Kong and a legal adviser to the American Chamber of Commerce here.


:nopity:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/13/business/worldbusiness/13sweat.html?adxnnl=1&ref=business&adxnnlx=1160757690-YedMCKxEXG+F6FDWKOpHgA

China Drafts Law to Boost Unions and End Abuse

By DAVID BARBOZA
Published: October 13, 2006

SHANGHAI, Oct. 12 — China is planning to adopt a new law that seeks to crack down on sweatshops and protect workers’ rights by giving labor unions real power for the first time since it introduced market forces in the 1980’s.

The move, which underscores the government’s growing concern about the widening income gap and threats of social unrest, is setting off a battle with American and other foreign corporations that have lobbied against it by hinting that they may build fewer factories here.

...

The conflict with the foreign corporations is significant partly because it comes at a time when labor, energy and land costs are rising in this country, all indications that doing business in China is likely to get much more expensive in the coming years.

...

Some of the world’s big companies have expressed concern that the new rules would revive some aspects of socialism and borrow too heavily from labor laws in union-friendly countries like France and Germany.

The Chinese government proposal, for example, would make it more difficult to lay off workers, a condition that some companies contend would be so onerous that they might slow their investments in China.

...

The proposed law is being debated after Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s biggest retailer, was forced to accept unions in its Chinese outlets.

...

[no_hypocrisy]

1. The unions in China are stronger and influential than their

counterparts in this country. International Brotherhood, unite.

[BurtWorm]

2. But according to the article, they were reined in by the Party

to allow foreign companies to exploit workers and give the Chinese economy a chance to grow. Isn't that true?

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Point well taken. n/t

[htuttle]

4. Unions are the best tool to equalize wages (upwardly) around the world...

...and slow down outsourcing.

We should require the right to collective bargaining in ALL of our foreign trade pacts.

[BurtWorm]

5. But of course, we won't be doing that because it benefits workers

not the corporations that engineer US trade policy.

[ItNerd4life]

8. Well said.

I like the idea that China would do more to bring up the wages.

[flamin lib]

6. This comes at the same time the US destroys its unions.

http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/35148.html

"In 1935, U.S. labor leaders heralded the passage of the National Labor Relations Act -- the Wagner Act -- as "Labor's Magna Carta." Why? Because the act guaranteed American workers the basic democratic right to join a union and bargain collectively, translating the freedom of association enshrined in the constitution to workplaces throughout the country.

Seven decades later, the National Labor Relations Board has issued a highly partisan ruling that could eliminate that right for millions of American workers. The impact of this ruling goes well beyond unions: It undermines the checks and balances fundamental to a democratic society.

In a narrow 3-2 decision Tuesday in the Oakwood Health Care case, all Bush appointees to the labor board voted to expand the definition of "supervisor" and, therefore, to shrink the eligibility to join a union. A supervisor, previously defined by the ability to hire, fire, and promote employees, can now be defined as someone who does a modest amount of coordination for as little as 50 minutes a shift. If an employee assigns a coworker to the hardware department, according to the board, or to the night shift or to a task such as restocking shelves, that employee enters the ranks of supervision and exits the bargaining unit."

=============
That's about 8 million hourly employees. AND they can't claim overtime either.

[Selatius]

7. The overtime thing is a quirk of the Fair Labor Standards Act

It was written in a manner that excluded managers and supervisors from its protection. However, I believe at the very least the law should be extended to include everyone who wishes to join a union regardless of who they are within the organization. I am not sure if the NLRB are life-time appointments, but if they are, I would say the best way to nullify the NLRB's decision is to extend the FLS Act.

[BurtWorm]

9. kick

[BurtWorm]

10. I thought this was going to stir more interest for some reason.

It's very unfortunate that the United States will probably take the position, regardless of which party is in charge of trade policy, that empowerment of Chinese laborers is not in this country's interest. I hope, when the Democrats get into power, that I'm proven wrong, that they will work on devising a policy that respects the fundamental human right of workers everywhere in the world to bargain for amenable conditions from their employers.

[malaise]

11. Link it to the $78M judgement against Walmart in Phili

It is big news for anti-neoliberal people.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2387974

[BurtWorm]

12. Thanks for that.

:toast:

[malaise]

15. Cool since

Walmart workers in China have unions. That must be pi$$ing them off.

[BurtWorm]

18. They're all chewing on their bile in the Wal-Mart Boardroom.

About time, too.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

13. Ah. The thing they dislike about Communism is not human rights abuses.

Or lack of democracy. No sir, what they don't like is that the poor get to eat. THAT's the evil part.

[malaise]

14. They hate any attempt at economic democracy

since they've long bought out the political democracy. All they want is profits without responsibility. They want governments who will shoot workers and lock up their 'terrorist' leaders if they demand a minimum wage or better worker conditions. Put simply corporations are the scum of the earth led by their chambers of commerce.

[truebrit71]

16. Yeah. I mean, God forbid the workers make a living wage...

..folks, when the Chinese government steps in to protect workers, and the US companies bitch about it, we have OFFICIALLY stepped through the looking glass.....

[Rex]

17. Cry me a river you rich assholes.

It won't hurt those in power, they will take it out on their workers. Meanwhile, China moves forward in union/labor movements while America outsources the takeout menu at McDonalds. Well at least we still have human rights over China...whoops. Well then we have...a larger military!!!! Haha! Look how big my military is!!!! Nah nah China!!! :crazy: