Workers in China who organize in defense of their interests, go on strike or even petition to the government are fired, criminalized, arbitrarily detained in “black jails” outside the legal framework or sentenced to prison labour.
Wu Guijun, a migrant worker employed for 9 years making furniture at the Diweixin Product Factory in Shenzhen (southern China), has been detained since May 23 and faces criminal prosecution for defending the rights of his co-workers. Since his arrest Wu has been denied contact with his family.
Workers at the Hong Kong-owned factory sought negotiations earlier this year in response to concerns about production cutbacks and apparent preparations for relocation to another site in the Chinese interior. Seven workers were elected to represent them, including Wu, but the employer refused to disclose any information and rejected negotiations. In response, the workers downed tools on May 7 and petitioned the local government to intervene. On May 23, 300 workers were besieged by the police while marching to the City Government; more than 20 workers were arrested and detained, including Wu Guijun. All were eventually released except for Wu. According to his lawyer, Wu now faces criminal prosecution for “assembling a crowd to disturb social order”.
Letter
To Mr. Zhu Xiaodan, Governor of Guangdong Province
CC Mr. Xu Qin Governor of Shenzhen
Foreign Affairs Office, People’s Government of Guangdong
Guangdong Disciplinary Inspection and Supervision Office
Dear Sirs,
I have learned that Mr. Wu Guizun, a migrant worker employed at the Diweixin furniture factory in Shenzhen for 9 years, has been detained since May 23 and faces criminal prosecution for defending the rights of his coworkers. Since his arrest he has been denied contact with his family and lawyer. Mr. Wu was elected by his co-workers to negotiate with the employer when it emerged that the factory was transferring production to another location and the company rejected discussion of the factory closure and compensation for the workers. The workers petitioned the authorities and a large number of them were detained while marching to the city government’s office.
Like many workers in China, Mr. Wu has been criminalized for seeking to exercise basic human rights - the right of workers to organize into unions of their choice, to enter into collective negotiations with employers and to go on strike. These rights are guaranteed in international human rights treaties and in Conventions of the United Nations’ ILO. I therefore call on you to act to ensure that Mr. Wu and all others currently detained for attempting to exercise these rights are swiftly and unconditionally released and to work to ensure that Chinese law is brought into conformity with international human rights standards.
Yours sincerely
To sign:
http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/campaigns/show_campaign.cgi?c=778