July 20-25, the Guangzhou Federation of Trade Unions delegation headed by President Victor Chan, launched the United States San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington and other cities to visit the trade union organizations.
Delegation of 20 arrived in the United States Berkeley, from 11:30 to 18:30, meeting with eight labor groups. Delegation multi introduced the effective functioning of trade unions in China, labor rights improvements from the point of view to explain the “Chinese-style market economy” connotation.
“Invitation side facing the historical changes that globalization and U.S. trade unions need to join hands.” Depart the same day, Victor Chan said when interviewed, Guangzhou, San Francisco, sister cities relationship between trade unions since 2008, frequent bilateral interaction. The current world economy by the “second bottom” threat, coupled with the Guangdong Foxconn International, Honda workers concern, starting from early June, the San Francisco Federation of Trade Unions to “communication between services, labor rights and the exchange of views” as the subject similar to the Guangzhou Federation of Trade Unions on many occasions by superior coordination, and eventually to the trip.
China’s trade union alliance to invite foreign trade unions
“American labor unions have always wanted and our alliances, engage in city-to city.” Victor Chan said the visit to the U.S., to reach the other side once again expressed the hope that “substantial results”, “but we think not to the (association) this level.”
Victor Chan told reporters that a topic raised by trade unions in San Francisco, is the Guangdong trade union joint, adjusting the Apple OEM prices to China. Apple is Foxconn’s largest brands, is headquartered in San Francisco. Local trade unions recognized, Shenzhen falls incident, the responsibility is greater than generation of Apple’s business, has not stopped pressure.
Chen recalled that the 2008 visit to Los Angeles, the local port trade unions have strongly suggested that the Guangzhou Nansha Port to the Port of Los Angeles, has become important to many world-class commercial shipping routes. Two Hong Kong trade unions can work together, not good if the owner of the Nansha Port, Los Angeles, could resist the means by echo, and vice versa, so that labor “in the world ocean in the offshore and the CIF have a reasonable voice.”
Similar to the alliance proposal, Victor Chan is not the only experienced persons. Guangdong Province, told reporters that union Vice Kong Xianghong, head of Nokia’s headquarters union has made a special trip to visit the expectations and the Guangdong trade union reached an agreement, Nokia join hands to fight for the rights to “weaken the multinationals on the global squeeze.”
It is worth noting that this visit Guangzhou trade unions, it is important standing in Washington, visit America’s largest unions, “AFL – CIO” (AFL-CIO) International liaison – Center for International workers solidarity Brown . AFL – CIO is the U.S. Democratic Party’s “fair, iron”, with 11,500,000 members, in the November mid-term congressional elections approaching, the organization to put pressure on U.S. President Barack Obama, called for an investigation of unfair competition in China, whether and the low wages of workers.
Victor Chan said he has a reasonable explanation of the Brown’s responsibility. According to Brown’s statement, the AFL – CIO’s pressure, China is not a zero-sum game, on the contrary, that there is a more common interests. Chen also claimed, willing to “put aside concerns about a deeper understanding.”
The world labor movement, “part of China”
“According to the AFL – CIO, Mr. Brown, saying that China has become a core part of the world labor movement.” Victor Chan, said Brown had the last visit and talk with some of its point of view deserves further research.
Industry first-line blue-collar workers, is the national trade union organizations, members of the foundation. The end of 2009, 226 million people of Chinese trade union members, almost twice ITUC1.4 million.
“China as a trade union to decide the direction of the world labor movement.” Brown said low-cost high-quality labor in China as the world’s largest supplier, whether the balance of global labor relations, depends on the China International Capital Strategies.
“Brown’s point of view, the ILO on behalf of the United States, ‘the anti-globalization’ side, need to dialectical analysis.” Victor Chan said that we should be concerned: countries that trade unions should take measures to alleviate these difficulties, creating fair and mutually beneficial cooperation in a situation .
Chinese OEM enterprises in the international industrial chain in the bottom position, Kong Xianghong quite understand. Kong told reporters that the PRD is the world’s clothing, toys, footwear manufacturing center, the world’s largest brands are focused here, these brands despite the international social responsibility certification constraints, but here the threshold of human and technical needs of the low, over-supply, replacement degree is high, no firm would dare brands strong words, order turn hand access, a large number of intermediary services in Hong Kong was by order to make money changed hands, the middle of the profit split is staggering.
To Foxconn OEM brands – Apple iPad example, iPad average selling price of 700 U.S. dollars more than models around, the production cost of an average 260 U.S. dollars, each iPad net profit down 60%; Foxconn ex-factory price of 260 U.S. dollars, net profit of 14 dollars about 5% of the profit rate, and wages of workers in the foundry, the formation of a cruel benefits division.
“China foundry, was indeed taken advantage of.” Said Victor Chan, Globalization, China to produce cheap products of low wages, loss of a; exports anti-dumping, but also a loss, equal to the double exploitation by overseas: a heavy exploitation in the upper reaches of the labor market, another heavy exploitation in the end product market, and public opinion, also the back, “sweatshop” name.
American labor unions, Apple, Foxconn
