China: Liaoyang Workers Still Fighting
David Christian
Timing their protest with the Chinese Communist Party's run up to its
16th Congress, workers in Liaoyang city held two collective
demonstrations on November 5 and 6th. Led by workers from the bankrupt
Liaoyang Ferroalloy Factory, thousands of people from state-owned
enterprises in the town demonstrated in front of the city government
offices demanding the release of their arrested representatives and
that the government issue basic welfare subsidies that they are
entitled to on the basis of regulations concerning redundancy. They
also demanded the return of contributions to a housing scheme fund set
up by their employers.
On November 5, 2002 between three and four thousand workers
demonstrated in front of the government offices. The workers came from
different enterprises including the Liaoyang Ferroalloy Factory, the
Liaoyang Steel Rolling Mill, the Liaoyang Canning Factory, the
Liaoyang Textile Factory and others. The workers held banners saying,
"Welcome the Party's 16th Congress" and "What crime have the Liaoyang
Four Committed?" According to a retired worker from the Ferroalloy
Factory, organisers had pasted up three open letters, signed in the
name of "Party members", "young workers" and "retired workers"
respectively, in the working class districts of the city. The letters
appealed to people to gather in front of government offices on
November 4, 5 and 6 and called for the release of the Liaoyang worker
representatives. It also demanded that the government issue
unemployment allowances, welfare subsidies for those under the
government-fixed poverty line and that their former employers return
the Rmb 2,000 that each worker had previously made to a housing fund
as well as reinstate a cancelled heating subsidy.
The next day, November 6, at least 200 workers again petitioned the
government. Police disbursed both demonstrations on the orders of the
government.
There are approximately 130,000 unemployed and laid off workers in
Liaoyang. Many are long-term unemployed living in straightened
circumstances. However, in order to present a false picture of good
government in the run-up to the aforementioned 16th Congress, the
local authorities have issued statements declaring that 96 per cent of
the city's previously unemployed workers have found work. This
whitewash has only served to further anger Liaoyang workers.
China Labour Bulletin
November 7, 2002