Workers
Thousands protest At Alco Electronics factory, South China
Several thousand workers at the Hong Kong-owned Alco (Holdings) factory in Houjie Township, Dongguan, Guangdong Province went on strike on 27 November.
The protests were against a decision to increase deductions from wages to cover rising food costs. Some reports say that the deductions rose from around 140 Yuan per month to 240 Yuan while other reports give figures of around 300Yuan for the new deduction. Food prices and the cost of other basic necessities have been increasingly rapidly in recent months while wages remain stagnant in many areas. The consumer price index (CPI) was set at 6.5 percent year-on-year in October, the same as in August, when the CPI rise reached an 11-year monthly record. Food prices are now estimated to be some 17.6 percent higher than 12 months ago. Pork has risen some 54.9 percent over the past 12 months because of shortages while poultry was up 38.3 percent, cooking oil up 34 percent, and vegetables up 29.9 percent. In November a discount special offer at a Carrefour branch in Chongqing ended in tragedy when three people were killed in the crush to buy discounted cooking oil.
[For a good overview of rising inflation and the burdens on ordinary workers - as well as brief but salient reminder that protests in June 18989 were prompted, at least in part, by rising cost please see Christian Science Monitor, Rising food prices test Chinese consumers]]
Apart from deductions for food, Alco also deducts 50 Yuan per month for accommodation. With basic wages of only 690 Yuan (for 40 hours work), workers would only receive around 400 Yuan, after the new increase of meal/food payments. (See http://www.mingong123.com/news/13/2007-11-30/154448103782988.html)
The workers did not take the street without prior notice to the factory. According to the workers, after learning of the increases, they signed a petition and asked for a formal response from the factory by 26th November. However the factory management ignored their requests.
The following day they came out on strike. According to several reports, armed police and riot police were called in after workers blocked traffic. Eyewitnesses report that several workers have been bitten by police dogs and beaten by police batons. According to one report, a female worker has been seriously injured with a head injury.
From photographic coverage of the strike it appears that several workers, male and female have been taken away by police, some of them were apparently led away from inside the factory after armed police entered the factory compound. It is not clear why the individual workers were targeted and no more information is available on their whereabouts.
One striker told the Cantonese service of Radio Free Asia; “We didn’t go to work today…Many employees sat on a main street near the plant, causing a serious traffic jam. Police have had to be deployed there to control the traffic.”
“We are very conscious of our rights now. If workers encounter unjust treatment, we are no longer going to remain silent, as we did before,” she said.
Several websites – including discussion forums have a lot of discussion on this strike, along with a great deal of good photos. The range of photos showing the police response as well as the local streets and onlookers is quite rare – we have included many here which were sent in to local sites by onlookers and workers.
Company Background
Formed in 1968, Alco is listed on the Hong Kong stock market and has its Headquarters in Hong Kong. It manufactures consumer Electronics and Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS). In addition it is the manufacturing arm of the Canadian Venturer Electronics. The Venturer website states; "Venturer Electronics, headquartered in Markham, Ontario, offers a wide selection of value-priced, high quality consumer electronics products. Since 1988, Venturer has focused on making the latest technologies affordable to North American consumers. Our highly-automated manufacturing partner in China builds some of the world's best known consumer electronics brands". [http://www.alcoelectronics.com/company.aspx]
According to its website, Alco, with its …”Its highly automated, 2.5 million square feet, and vertically integrated facilities in China's Dongguan City, have become synonymous with world class quality standards, low manufacturing costs, on-time delivery, and after-sales services. Alco's capabilities can only be described as all-encompassing, starting with circuit and board design, prototyping, environmental and functional testing, production, quality assurance, packaging, world-wide distribution, and customer after-sales assistance and servicing. [http://www.alco.com.hk/main/]
No doubt, its “low manufacturing costs” can in part be attributed to the zeal with which it offsets rising costs to its workers.
IHLO
December 2007 |
