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China promises to promote labor rig
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China promises to promote labor rights
Beijing: May 29, 2001
Beijing - The Chinese government promised to promote workers' rights by
signing an agreement, or "memorandum of understanding", with the
International Labor Organization (ILO) of the United Nations this month.
However, labor rights advocates are skeptical on the value of the
signature.
Under the agreement Beijing e.g. promises to support the freedom of
association and collective bargaining, which is absent or - in the case
of collective bargaining - poorly developed. The ILO and the ministry of
labor and social securities will start a program of cooperation. "Its
aim is to strengthen national policies in China for employment, social
dialogue and social protection in line with internationally recognized
principles and rights at work", said ILO director-general Juan Somavia,
according to AFX News (17/05/2001).
Free association in labor unions is at odds with the common practice in
China where all organizations have to resort under the leadership of the
party. According to Charles Kernaghan, executive director of the
National Committee for Worker and Human Rights in New York, the ILO
agreement is part of a ongoing Chinese public relations campaign to join
the World Trade Organization (WTO), Bloomberg writes (18/05/2001). "They
have made promises in the past, but from what we hear from workers
there, nothing has changed", claims Kernaghan. Freedom of association is
emerging, for example for foreign chambers of commerce who have been
able to register, but this liberalization has not yet expanded to labor
unions.
China is expected to join the WTO end of this or beginning next year.
Minister of labour Zhang Zouji said at a press conference on the
agreement that the national laws are effectively protecting workers'
rights.
ILO has examined violations of freedom of association and handed the
Chinese government a list of workers detained for joining labor
organizations, expressing its concerns on the cases, and giving
recommendations to improve labor rights.
(From China Human Resources Newsletter, May 29, 2001)
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<center><b><font color="#0000FF"><font size=+2>China promises to promote
labor rights</font></font></b></center>
<p><b><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>Beijing: May 29, 2001</font></font></b>
<p><font size=+1><b><font color="#990000">Beijing </font></b>- The Chinese
government promised to promote workers' rights by signing an agreement,
or "memorandum of understanding", with the International Labor Organization
(ILO) of the United Nations this month. However, labor rights advocates
are skeptical on the value of the signature.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Under the agreement Beijing e.g. promises to support the
freedom of association and collective bargaining, which is absent or -
in the case of collective bargaining - poorly developed. The ILO and the
ministry of labor and social securities will start a program of cooperation.
"Its aim is to strengthen national policies in China for employment, social
dialogue and social protection in line with internationally recognized
principles and rights at work", said ILO director-general Juan Somavia,
according to AFX News (17/05/2001).</font>
<p><font size=+1>Free association in labor unions is at odds with the common
practice in China where all organizations have to resort under the leadership
of the party. According to Charles Kernaghan, executive director of the
National Committee for Worker and Human Rights in New York, the ILO agreement
is part of a ongoing Chinese public relations campaign to join the World
Trade Organization (WTO), Bloomberg writes (18/05/2001). "They have made
promises in the past, but from what we hear from workers there, nothing
has changed", claims Kernaghan. Freedom of association is emerging, for
example for foreign chambers of commerce who have been able to register,
but this liberalization has not yet expanded to labor unions.</font>
<p><font size=+1>China is expected to join the WTO end of this or beginning
next year.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Minister of labour Zhang Zouji said at a press conference
on the agreement that the national laws are effectively protecting workers'
rights.</font>
<p><font size=+1>ILO has examined violations of freedom of association
and handed the Chinese government a list of workers detained for joining
labor organizations, expressing its concerns on the cases, and giving recommendations
to improve labor rights.</font>
<p><i><font size=+1>(From China Human Resources Newsletter, May 29, 2001)</font></i>
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