>In Indonesia today, at least, you can advocate to form a union without
>being thrown in jail. In China, being an independent union leader is a
>direct ticket to jail. The right to strike is non-existent, which
>defines slave labor in my mind.
>
>
>--really? ask chinese employers about how easy it is to hold onto
>their 'slave' laborers. they change jobs at the drop of a dime. and
>strikes do occur in China, quite frequently actually, though not at the
>behest of an independent union usually, but wildcats do certainly occur.
>-------------------------------------------
>Rights in Honduras are pretty bad, but I think China's conditions in
>relation to the right to organize are near the bottom possible.
>
>--that's empirically utterly out of touch with reality.
The FT had a story the other day about how Chinese employers are building skating rinks and discos to hold on to workers - acknowledging that that's a lot cheaper than paying higher wages. But it does suggest a turnover problem.
Steve, could you amplify more on these points? Most Americans probably think that Chinese workers are among the most exploited in the world. How true is it? What's the actual condition of Chinese workers?
Doug