Workers Riot in Suzhou
Today in Suzhou, workers at the Taiwan-owned United Win (China) Technology Ltd. Co. (联建科技) held a strike, which later turned into a riot, according to reports circulating online. Posts and photos on the topic are being deleted so few details are known or confirmed, but various reports claim workers were protesting poor working and health conditions due to chemical pollution. Local officials have said the protests were over unpaid wages and quickly put out a press release saying 2,000 workers participated. Xinhua reports:
Employees of a Taiwan enterprise smashed vehicles and blocked a road Friday to protest against poor company management in east Jiangsu Province. No casualties were reported.
Rumors saying that the company planned to cancel the year-end bonus evoked more than 2,000 workers to gather in the United Win (China) Technology Ltd. Co. Friday morning in the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP).
Some began to smash facilities and vehicles of the company at about 8:45 a.m. despite explanations of the management and local government officials. The workers also blocked a road and threw stones to the police.
The disputes aroused because employees had long been dissatisfied with the management, payment and food provided by the company, according to the SIP administrative committee.
See more photos here.
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POSTED COMMENTS: 4 Responses
Petrochemicals (hydrocarbons) are extremely toxic. Poor work conditions harm, sicken, and kill. It’s a crime against humanity to sacrifice workers’ health and life for profits. Chinese governments must be responsible for protecting workers’ health and punish those who knowingly harm. I am extremely pained and saddened and feel helpless whenever tragedies like this happen. Chinese government, especially local governments, must learn how to respect and protect human rights, and they can start from looking after their workers who are the ones who are building and developing China. I pray for all workers who are poorly treated and who are losing their health due to poor and even criminal working conditions. I pray for less suffering caused by greed and lack of compassion.
The labour movement in the West has to finally start paying attention and developing a strategy for forging solidarity with the Chinese working class. Otheriwse it will be caught unaware once again.
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