Open
World Conference of Workers
In Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights
AFL-CIO Statements for SF July 10 Action to Free the Liaoyang 5
The following three statements from top officials in the U.S. labor
movement were faxed to the S.F. Labor Council (AFL-CIO) and OWC in advance
of the July 10 delegation to the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. They
were intended for Mr. Hong Lei, Consul for Public Affairs at the Chinese
Consulate in San Francisco, and through his office to the Chinese
government in Beijing.
Mr. Hong Lei refused to accept these statements or the petitions delivered
by the delegation [see below]. He said he had agreed to meet with the
three-person delegation led by Walter Johnson, Secretary-Treasurer, San
Francisco Labor Council, "for a discussion and exchange of points of
view" -- but said he was not authorized to accept any statements or
letters from the delegation.
The delegation noted that this was not usual procedure; that on countless
delegations to consulates from other countries, these type of letters and
petitions were always accepted and then relayed to the authorities in
their respective countries. Mr. Hong Lei insisted he could not accept
these documents and said the delegation would have to find other avenues
to get this information to the authorities in China.
The statements below were read at the press conference and public rally in
front of the Consulate following the delegation meeting. They will be
mailed to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., with a request that
they be forwarded to the central authorities in China. Hard copies of
these statements, on the letterheads of the respective union bodies, are
available from the OWC upon request. We have transcribed them below for
maximum electronic distribution. -- A.B., OWC Continuations Committee
********************
1) Letter from John Sweeney, President of AFL-CIO, to Chinese President
Jiang Zemin
[Note: The OWC and San Francisco Labor Council received a copy of the
letter below along with a cover letter from Phil Fishman, Assistant
Director for Asian Affairs, International Affairs Department, AFL-CIO. The
cover letter by Brother Fishman authorized us to make use of AFL-CIO
President Sweeney's letter for our delegation and press conference/rally
on July 10th in San Francisco.]
April 4, 2002
Mr. Jiang Zemin
President of the People's Republic
of China
Zhongnanhai
Beijing
Dear President Jiang:
On behalf of the 13 million working men and women of the AFL-CIO, I am
writing to express our deep concern about the recent detentions and
violent suppression of workers because of their participation in
demonstrations in Liaoyang, Liaonin Province. We have been reliably
informed that Yao Fuxin, Pan Qingxiang, Xiao Yunliang, and Wang Zhaoming
have been detained and charged with illegally gathering and demonstrating.
The workers in Liaoyang are voicing their legitimate demands for payments
for layoffs and pension benefits. Their complaints concerning corruption
have often been echoed by many persons at every level of the Chinese
government. We implore your government to fulfill its obligation to
protect the rights of workers and release their spokespersons.
The AFL-CIO will continue to support and stand in solidarity with our
brother and sister workers all over the world, including the Chinese
workers, as they struggle to improve working conditions in times of great
change in China.
Sincerely.,
s/ John Sweeney
President,
AFL-CIO
********************
2) Letter from Chuck Mack, Western Region Vice President, International
Brotherhood of Teamsters (AFL-CIO)
July 9, 2002
To: The Chinese Consulate, San Francisco
Attention, Hong Lei, Office of Public Affairs
On behalf of the Western Region of the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters, I am writing to demand the immediate and unconditional release
of five unionists from prison in Liaoyang. Additionally, I urge China to
ratify and implement International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions 87
and 98 for the right to strike and to form independent trade unions.
I understand that the five unionists -- Yao Fuxin, Pan Qingxiang, Xiao
Yunliang, Wang Zhaoming, and Gu Baoshu -- were elected by their fellow
workers to negotiate with the authorities for payment of back wages,
compensation for layoffs and unemployment benefits. However, instead of
negotiating in good faith, the authorities had them arrested and charged
with "organizing illegal demonstrations."
Trade unions have been a source of strength and vitality for the United
States -- where workers are treated with respect and earn good wages, the
economy thrives. I write this letter in solidarity with all Chinese
workers who are struggling for their rights. I urge your government to
release these five workers and to recognize the ILO Conventions calling
for the right to strike and to form independent trade unions.
Sincerely,
s/ Chuck Mack
Western Region Vice President
********************
3) Statement by Art Pulaski, Executive Secretary Treasurer, California
Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, On Detention of Five Unionists by Chinese
Government
(for release July 9, 2002. Contact: David W. Millier (510) 663-4010)
"We call upon the government of China to free the workers known as
the Liaoyang 5. For China to progress, it must rely on the sweat of the
workers who keep their country running every day. And for China to be
taken seriously in the world, it must respect the rights of the workers
who are organizing in pursuit of a better future for their families.
"Across China, workers are standing up and speaking out -- through
strikes, demonstrations and protests. What do they want? An end to mass
layoffs. Payment for hours worked. And relief from terrible social
consequences of China's so-called economic reforms. In short, they want
the kind of workplace justice and economic security demanded by workers
worldwide.
"The Liaoyang 5 were elected to negotiate on behalf of their
co-workers. We call for their immediate release, as well as immediate
recognition of and respect for their rights as workers."