Teachers strike in Chengdu, China
Nov 6 2009 12:43
Hundreds of teachers at two private schools in Chengdu - Chengdu Foreign Language School (a secondary school) and its attached primary school - went on strike Thursday after their demand for a pay raise was rejected. They struck again today (Friday), and the dispute has not yet been settled. School officials say they hope the dispute will be settled in time for class on Monday. According to reports and photos, many students and parents are supporting the strike. For example here you can see students bringing water to the striking teachers:
It just so happens that I know some students from CFLS. Unfortunately I don't have their contact info, but will be seeing them this weekend, so I'll let you know if I learn anything more.
I've only seen one report in English, here. The best Chinese source I've seen is this. If I'm understanding correctly, this is an offensive action - demanding a pay raise, not resisting a cut - although of course there has been inflation over the past few years, and in particular this demand for a raise follows the introduction of performance pay in public (state-owned) schools, but still this is the first action I know of in China since the crisis began that is in some sense offensive rather than defensive.
Nov 7 2009 19:16
#2
Very interesting as always.
Nov 7 2009 23:00
#3
yeah cheers husunzi, will include a bit about this in Education Worker News in next issue of Leveller
Nov 9 2009 02:35
#4
Sorry I still haven't gotten around to writing a proper report about this yet. The strike spread to a third school, and is continuing today (Monday) - the day scheduled for mid-term exams. Only about half the students have showed up - this after the school leaders yesterday (Sunday)) (1) told the teachers (over 1,000 in all) that their phones were being monitored (no idea how this is possible, since Derui is privately owned and of course only the government has the ability to tap phones - maybe they have ties in the government), and any teacher who told students not to come to class would be fired, with the leaders claiming they had sufficient scab teachers available to replace them, and according to one student the teachers believe this; (2) the school leaders notified the students' parents and said the dispute had been resolved, and that the students must show up for the exam or they would get zeroes; (3) according to one student, police and thugs were stationed outside the school gate to make sure any students who showed up would indeed take their exams.
I haven't been out to the school, since it's about two hours from downtown Chengdu, and the teacher I contacted said the other teachers were wary about communicating with me or having me show up. There are about six foreign teachers at one of these schools, and the last I heard they weren't sure whether they would risk being deported by refusing leaders' commands, if that situation came up (so far it hadn't, since apparently the leaders' hadn't managed to restore order sufficiently for any classes to be held - despite even teachers' efforts to make sure the students stay in their classrooms and study on their own).
I'm still trying to find out whether anyone is taking the exam today, but I assume if only half the students showed up they won't take it today.
I just received a text from someone else who said "the government" (not sure what that means exactly) showed up and ended the strike.
More to follow...
Nov 9 2009 09:21
#6
I found this article on China's glut of college graduates. It's interesting and perhaps vaguely related.
Nov 9 2009 16:12
#7
thank for the news, it's helpfully
Thanks for the news, please keep is updated with any developments!