Chinese Labor Unions just fronts for businesses
I heard this on APM's Marketplace on the way home tonight.
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/world/chinese-workers-fight-wal-mart-better-wages
...As China’s economy rapidly developed, so, too, did the cost of living in China. But wages for China’s Wal-mart employees lagged behind. China’s economy is now eleven times bigger than it was 18 years ago, when Wal-mart first arrived. In that same time, the starting salary for employees at Wal-Mart in China has only gone up by 73 cents an hour. There’s not much employees can do about it – the only workers' union allowed under Chinese law– The All China Federation of Trade Unions - typically acts on behalf of company management, rather than employees. "It’s simply a boss’s union," says Wang, "not a group that seeks justice for workers."
So in the summer of 2012, Wang collected dozens of workers’ signatures asking Wal-Mart for better wages. A week after presenting the petition to Wal-Mart and union officials, Wal-Mart fired him. Wang sued, and in November, a Chinese court ruled in Wang’s favor – ordering Wal-Mart to rehire him. But on the morning of his first day back at work, Wang's lawyer calls – Wal-Mart’s just appealed the case. "Now I'm going to have to wait for the appeal to go through," Wang grumbles. "They’re probably going to try and negotiate a cash settlement, but I just want my job back."
China’s always been crucial to Wal-Mart’s success – for decades, the country’s cheap exports and quick supply chain helped the company maintain its low prices. Today, Wal-Mart operates 390 stores in more than 150 cities throughout China.
It’s a good match for China’s shifting economy. The government wants to turn yesterday’s factory workers of the manufacturing sector into an army of restaurant, hotel, and retail employees for its new service sector....
