blake 3:17
21st March 2014, 00:04
Walmart workers in China blockade store in protest at closure plan
Nearly 150 workers have been picketing a Walmart store in the central Chinese city of Changde for two weeks, after management announced 4 March that the store would close down on 19 March.
The predominately women workers, many of whom were long-serving employees, were offered just two options: relocate to another Walmart store in China or accept what they considered to be a substandard severance package.
The workers complained that neither the two-week notice period nor the amount of compensation was in accordance with China’s labour laws. Importantly, however, it was the store’s trade union chairman Huang Xingguo who led the workers in their protest.
The trade union convened a meeting on 4 March during which employees stated their demands, discussed strategies, and set up a nine-member negotiation team comprised of seven trade union council members and two worker activists. They agreed during the meeting that no less than three team members must be present during negotiations with Walmart and that any kind of agreement must have no less than three member signatures.
Meanwhile, the union informed the municipal trade unions federation, local labour authorities, the police, and other relevant government bodies in writing of Walmart’s wrongdoings and the possible action workers might take.
Walmart management refused to discuss the workers’ grievances and simply posted the closure and staff settlement terms on the store noticeboard the next day. Tension increased further when management hired temporary workers to remove valuable merchandise from the store. Walmart, internationally known for its tough stance against workers’ rights, has reportedly closed down 13 stores in China over the last 15 months with little or no regard for the interests of its employees.
On 7 March, the store union demanded that the municipal trade union federation get involved, presenting the workers’ 14 demands and stating that the closure without prior notice and laying off large number of workers without negotiating with the trade union was a blatant violation of labours laws in China.
On 13 March, the city union responded in writing saying that it has been working vigorously with all concerned government bodies and would defend the workers’ rights to the best of its ability. However, little practical help was provided. The workers themselves were very disappointed in the lawyer provided by the city union.
The local government meanwhile seemed to side with Walmart. The director of the local commerce department reportedly even threatened to “call the police and make arrests” if the workers did not back down. On at least one occasion, Walmart management did call the police but no arrests were made.
Huang Xingguo remained defiant and wrote an authorisation letter to the vice-chairman saying: “If I get arrested, you will carry on!” On the morning of 20 March, Huang was told to report to the local police station.
The stance of the store trade union in this case has won praise from labour activists in China. Professor Wang Jiangsong at the China Institute of Industrial Relations said: “It is extremely rare and heroic for a trade union chairman to stand up for workers’ rights. It is something that everyone should protect, cherish and learn from.”
full article: http://www.clb.org.hk/en/content/walmart-workers-china-blockade-store-protest-closure-plan
Nearly 150 workers have been picketing a Walmart store in the central Chinese city of Changde for two weeks, after management announced 4 March that the store would close down on 19 March.
The predominately women workers, many of whom were long-serving employees, were offered just two options: relocate to another Walmart store in China or accept what they considered to be a substandard severance package.
The workers complained that neither the two-week notice period nor the amount of compensation was in accordance with China’s labour laws. Importantly, however, it was the store’s trade union chairman Huang Xingguo who led the workers in their protest.
The trade union convened a meeting on 4 March during which employees stated their demands, discussed strategies, and set up a nine-member negotiation team comprised of seven trade union council members and two worker activists. They agreed during the meeting that no less than three team members must be present during negotiations with Walmart and that any kind of agreement must have no less than three member signatures.
Meanwhile, the union informed the municipal trade unions federation, local labour authorities, the police, and other relevant government bodies in writing of Walmart’s wrongdoings and the possible action workers might take.
Walmart management refused to discuss the workers’ grievances and simply posted the closure and staff settlement terms on the store noticeboard the next day. Tension increased further when management hired temporary workers to remove valuable merchandise from the store. Walmart, internationally known for its tough stance against workers’ rights, has reportedly closed down 13 stores in China over the last 15 months with little or no regard for the interests of its employees.
On 7 March, the store union demanded that the municipal trade union federation get involved, presenting the workers’ 14 demands and stating that the closure without prior notice and laying off large number of workers without negotiating with the trade union was a blatant violation of labours laws in China.
On 13 March, the city union responded in writing saying that it has been working vigorously with all concerned government bodies and would defend the workers’ rights to the best of its ability. However, little practical help was provided. The workers themselves were very disappointed in the lawyer provided by the city union.
The local government meanwhile seemed to side with Walmart. The director of the local commerce department reportedly even threatened to “call the police and make arrests” if the workers did not back down. On at least one occasion, Walmart management did call the police but no arrests were made.
Huang Xingguo remained defiant and wrote an authorisation letter to the vice-chairman saying: “If I get arrested, you will carry on!” On the morning of 20 March, Huang was told to report to the local police station.
The stance of the store trade union in this case has won praise from labour activists in China. Professor Wang Jiangsong at the China Institute of Industrial Relations said: “It is extremely rare and heroic for a trade union chairman to stand up for workers’ rights. It is something that everyone should protect, cherish and learn from.”
full article: http://www.clb.org.hk/en/content/walmart-workers-china-blockade-store-protest-closure-plan