Workers' struggles in China (May 2010)

Summaries and links to news reports of workers' struggles around China during May. I now have a Twitter feed where I will be posting the stories I find, so if you don't want to wait until the end of the month to read them or would like to write up some of these for libcom news when they happen rather, please follow it: http://twitter.com/spartacusnews

libcom articles

In case you missed them, here are the articles that appeared on libcom relating to China this month.

Strike shuts Chinese Honda plants
Let's not forget the imprisoned workers in China
Open Letter from Local Chinese Trade Union to Honda Motors Factory Workers
Open Letter to the Public and All the Workers in Honda Auto Parts Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Foxconn suicides & Honda strike

I've separated off two stories from the rest of my China news (which follows afterwards) because of the unusally high coverage they've been getting, both in the international and Chinese press. The first is that of the still increasing number of suicides among Foxconn workers. Foxconn is a major subcontractor for Apple, so it's been quite high profile, with activist in Hong Kong and Taiwan (where the parent company is based) staging protests.

The second is even more important, but many articles link the too as it illustrates a more encouraging response to poor working conditions: the two week strike by workers at a Honda parts factory. What's been unusual in this case is the amount of coverage that's getting out, and the positive coverage it's been getting in state controlled Chinese media (although all the links I found had been removed when I checked again). Whether it's an actual change in policy by the state or elements within it, or authorities just didn't think they could cope with a more confrontational response is unclear at the moment.

23rd of May
Dying Young: Suicide & China’s Booming Economy
http://bit.ly/dpUvoF
26th of May
Latest news reports on the Foxconn suicides
http://bit.ly/deCjyw
Honda Halts China Plants Amid Parts-Factory Strike (Update2)
http://bit.ly/9xLELi
27th of May
Strike shuts Honda's China assembly plants - Nikkei
http://bit.ly/aXIFi6
Honda's China production halted by supply-chain shortages - MarketWatch -
http://on.mktw.net/dzo0ZN
28th of May
Honda Aims to Resolve China Strike Soon as Possible - BusinessWeek
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-28/honda-aims-to-resolve-china-strike-soon-as-possible-update2-.html
Honda Strike Becomes a Rallying Point in China
http://nyti.ms/c1hNXR
Han Han (韩寒): The Bloom of Youth
http://bit.ly/8XNMEw
30th of May
Honda's China Plants May Stay Closed as Staff to Stay on Strike - BusinessWeek
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-30/honda-s-china-plants-may-stay-closed-as-workers-continue-strike.html
Honda's interns may strike - Straits Times
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_533176.html
CLB Additional news reports on Foxconn and Honda
http://bit.ly/9b8rhn
31st of May
Honda strike sends shudder through financial circles - World Socialist Web Site
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jun2010/chin-j01.shtml
Honda Strike Workers Propose Own Terms to End Protest - The Epoch Times
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36529/
Honda Offers Strikers in China 24% Pay Boost - Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703406604575278501916351546.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us
Chinese workers swap angst for anger - Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/5500ea0c-6d15-11df-921a-00144feab49a,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F5500ea0c-6d15-11df-921a-00144feab49a.html&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.readergoogle.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F%3Fhl%3Den%26tab%3Dwy
Labor woes spread to Beijing Hyundai - Global Times
http://autos.globaltimes.cn/china/2010-06/537155.html
Foshan Honda strike: struggle continues, solidarity with Honda workers - China Worker
http://chinaworker.info/en/content/news/1071/
Honda to use imported parts to continue production - China Car Times
http://www.chinacartimes.com/2010/06/01/honda-to-use-imported-parts-to-continue-production/
Historical Precedents for the Strike Wave by Chinese Workers at Honda Plants - China Digital Times
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2010/05/historical-precedents-for-the-strike-wave-by-chinese-workers-at-honda-plants/
Foxconn must allow labor unions - Taipei Times
http://taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2010/05/31/2003474306
Honda to Raise Wages for Striking Workers at Chinese Factory - BusinessWeek
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-31/honda-s-china-plants-remain-closed-as-talks-continue-update1-.html