Open World Conference of Workers

In Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights

The OWC has just received news from the China Labour Bulletin about a new web site devoted to the building of independent trade unions in China. The web site is www.workersremember.org. It is produced by the Workers Remember campaign, based in Hong Kong, whose statement of purpose reads as follows:

One of the aims of the Workers Remember campaign is to encourage international solidarity between workers and unions overseas and workers in China.

This solidarity is expressed in different ways, and many unions have adopted a range of tactics and strategies to support workers' struggles in China.

The organisers of the Workers Remember campaign hope to strengthen these solidarity actions by promoting three key activities among trade unions and workers' organisations around the world:

- Recognition
- Commitment
- Education

It is crucial that democratic, independent workers' organisations recognise the significance of the struggles by workers in China in the Spring of 1989. It is equally important that they recognise the the struggles and protests by workers in China today.

Recognition of workers struggles also means recognition of the repression they face. As such, we must continue to bring attention to the imprisonment of independent unionists and labour activists and demand their release.

Having recognised the importance of independent, democratic trade union movements in China and their repression by the Chinese government, there is a need to express our solidarity. Underlying this is the need to declare clearly, and publicly, a commitment to support these struggles. It is our hope that this commitment is institutionalized in the policies, decisions and activities of trade unions everywhere, so that sustained solidarity action is made both possible and necessary.

One of the key aspects of this international solidarity is education. Popular education and grassroots trade union education forms a critical part of building genuine, lasting solidarity. Such education should seek to encourage a critical and informed understanding of the struggles of workers in China and the challenges they face.

It is our hope that such education will also overcome the biases and misperceptions that often influence thinking about workers in China. Rather than fostering "anti-China" sentiment or portraying Chinese workers as powerless "victims", we instead hope that workers everywhere will come to understand and respect the tremendous courage, collective energy and power of workers in China and to direct their protests not against "China", but against the repressive Chinese government.

Finally, we believe that it is important for the new generation of trade unionists, activists and workers will learn about the struggles of the Spring of 1989 and the repression of June 4. Our collective memory will always be an important source of power.

It is hoped that this combination of recognition, commitment and education will strengthen grassroots support for the campaigns undertaken by national trade union centres and global unions to support the realization of fundamental worker and trade union rights in China. Such solidarity linking the local and the global is essential if we are to effectively support the struggle of workers in China to fight for their collective rights and interests.

As one example of this expression of recognition and commitment, we have included in this web site a model trade union resolution. We hope that this will provide an example of the kinds of actions needed. In addition, we hope that the information, stories and analysis provided on this web site may be used by trade union educators, organisers and activists to provide critical education for their members or communities.

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Solidarity Action - Model Trade Union Resolution

Model Trade Union Resolution on the 13th Anniversary of
the Suppression of the Independent Trade Union Movement in China

The [union name] [congress/conference/meeting] in [place] on [date]:

RECALLING the formation of independent trade unions in China in the Spring of 1989, and the demands and aspirations of the Workers Autonomous Federations in their struggle to advance the collective rights and interests of workers as part of the democracy movement;

CONDEMNING the bloody repression by the Chinese government on June 4, 1989, and the arrest, detention and persecution of independent trade unionists and labour activists ever since;

DEMANDING the immediate and unconditional release of all imprisoned trade unionists and labour activists in China today and the removal of the criminal records and restoration of the civil rights of those already released so that their independent union organising activities and struggles for workers' rights shall never be regarded as crimes against society or the state;

CALLS UPON the Chinese government to recognize freedom of association as a fundamental right of working people and to allow all workers in China to freely form trade unions of their choosing;

RESOLVING to campaign locally and internationally to foster international solidarity for independent trade union organising in China by encouraging awareness among our union members and ensuring that these concerns and demands are reflected in the policies of trade unions at national and international level;

COMMITS to ensuring that the struggles, aspirations and sacrifices of workers in China in 1989 and today shall not be forgotten and to declare: Workers Remember!

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The Workers Remember Campaign is organised by the following organisations based in Hong Kong, China:

China Labour Bulletin (CLB)
email: clb@china-labour.org.hk

The contradictions in China's economy are sharpening as the lethal combination of the legacy from the command economy and market-reforms leaves millions of workers destitute and angry. Yet freedom of association, the most fundamental right of the working class, is still denied. China Labour Bulletin, set up in 1994, seeks to promote independent trade unionism and provide information on the activities of the official All-China Federation of Trade Unions, as well as attempts by workers to organise outside it.


Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions
email: hkctu@hkctu.org.hk

The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) represents 151,600 members in 58 affiliates. Founded in 1990, HKCTU brings together democratic and independent trade unions committed to fighting for the rights and interests of workers.

Hong Kong Liaison Office of the International Trade Union Movement (IHLO)
email: ihlo@hkctu.org.hk

IHLO is the Hong Kong Liaison Office of the international trade union movement. It was established in August 1997 to provide support from and representation of the international trade union movement in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), monitor socio-economic, political and trade union developments and ensure a two-way flow of information to and from the Hong Kong trade union movement.

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