Robert Senser raises two points in his comment in response to my post “(Union) Made in China: The Tag Corporate America Doesn’t want You to See.”
First, contrary to Senser’s post, we did not shun the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions. In fact, we had very productive meetings with the top leadership and leaders of several affiliates. See, for example, this picture of Teamster President Jim Hoffa with Lee Cheuk Yan and the leadership of HKFTU:
Click image for full size version
While in Hong Kong we also met with representatives of Union Network International, Asia Monitor Resource Center, and Students and Scholars against Corporate Misbehavior. We will continue our relationship with these and other groups as we work together to organize workers at multinational corporations that employ workers in the U.S., mainland China, and Hong Kong.
Second, again, contrary to Senser’s assumption, our delegation did bring the issue of repression of labor activists directly and privately with the ACFTU leadership, i.e., “without offending our hosts,” as Senser put it. This might help answer Senser’s question about “what kind of solidarity” we are really promoting.
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Have you by any chance read the China Labour Bulletin, also headquartered in Hong Kong? On their website and in their occasional email newsletters they detail the abuses of workers' rights continuing on the mainland. http://www.china-labour.org.hk/public/main
Han Dongfang and his correspondents deserve our support too.
Posted by B. Ross Ashley on July 3, 2007 at 6:31 PM
Posted on July 3, 2007 at 6:31 PM