Police in Shanghai have arrested around a dozen workers following ongoing strike action at an electronics factory.
The arrests resulted from workers blockading heavy equipment which was being removed from the Singapore-owned Hi-P International plant. The factory is being closed down, and according to the strikers, relocated to the Shanghai suburb of Nanhui where new staff will be hired.
The strikers say they have been laid off illegally and without compensation, and have been picketing the plant since last Wednesday. In response, the police have cordoned off nearby roads.
"This hurts me so much. I have worked hard for them. They are contravening labour law by asking us to leave but not pay us any compensation. Why are the authorities siding with them? Who can help us weak workers?" a female factory worker, who only gave her surname as Wang told Reuters.
Hi-P manufacture parts for Apple, Blackberry and Hewlett-Packard. Reports on the number of strikers have varied from 200 to 1000.
The strike follows similar action at a garment factory in Guangdong, which manufactures New Balance, Adidas and Nike shoes last month, as well as a strike at a bra factory in Shenzhen over pay and overtime respectively. China's top security chief warned provincial officials over the risk of unrest last week as turmoil in the world economy continues.
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