Workers in U.S. and China: Promoting Global Prosperity through Global Solidarity

For Immediate Release
Tuesday May 22, 2007

For Information, Contact
China: Bret Caldwell, (202) 437-5853
international456@sprintpcs.com

Wash. DC: TJ Michels (202) 721-6061
tj.michels@changetowin.org

The following is a statement delivered in Beijing by Anna Burger, Chair of Change to Win, on the new labor movement’s historic visit to China:

This is the first Change to Win fact-finding mission to China. Some of our leaders have visited China before; for others, this is their first trip. But the spread of globalization and its impact on workers everywhere ensures it will not be the last.

We came here because seven unions and six million members united in Change to Win to restore the American Dream in the 21st century. To share in the prosperity of the global economy, workers and their organizations must build strong links of solidarity around the world.

Geographically, China and the U.S. may be a world apart—but, economically we increasingly live in the same neighborhood. We are concerned about what’s happening around the corner, because Chinese and American workers face similar challenges in this new era, as economic inequality rises.

Trade between our two countries has created great wealth—but has not brought general well-being to workers in either nation.

Suppliers in China made the Walton family among the richest in the world, but did not produce affordable health care for Wal-Mart employees. The skyscrapers of Shanghai and other great cities are a testament to the country’s economic growth, but over 180 million are still unemployed.

Multinational corporations roam the world in a race to the bottom, competing solely on which can pay their workers the least – and far too many have settled here. What were once good-paying American jobs with benefits are now too often underpaid Chinese jobs in poor working conditions.

The same American corporate interests that are spending millions to combat workers’ efforts to choose a voice at work in the U.S. are lobbying against important labor reforms here that would help protect Chinese workers on the job.

And right now the U.S. and Chinese governments have renewed a high-level economic dialogue on trade, currency and future relations – devoid thus far of any talk of worker’s rights.

These reasons made it critical for Change to Win to come to China to explore the ways in which we can fight for good jobs in the global economy – and that includes efforts to work with the All China Federation of Trade Unions to advance the interests of both American and Chinese workers.

The challenges for workers in the global economy mandates that here, in Beijing, we develop common strategies for lifting worker standards with the same vigor we push for in Washington. Our meetings have been significant, we believe their commitment is sincere, and as a result, Change to Win and the ACFTU agreed to exchange information and strategies on issues of collective bargaining and organizing with multinationals in the future.

We have a common struggle to eliminate sweatshop conditions, to stop the exploitation of workers, and to create a vehicle for workers to share fairly in the great wealth of global economy. We reject trade based on the lowest wages, poor working conditions and little regard for workers’ rights.

Change to Win believes that rising wages, stable employment and improving conditions for workers are the engine of sustainable economic growth. Well-paid workers are the consumers that generate demand, growth and profits. We believe that only organized workers can bring the changes that will reduce income inequality and create broad-based prosperity.

As we demand the right of workers to choose a voice at work in the U.S., we also demand the right of workers to unite everywhere. As we confront corporate interests in the U.S., we see the same interests attempting to interfere with the efforts of Chinese workers to improve their lives.

Our trip to China has made clear the need for a new U.S. labor movement connected to the entire 21st century workforce. We are not looking to protect the economy of the past but to create the global prosperity of the future. We will continue a dialogue with Chinese organizations on how to best build the bonds of solidarity and to determine how we can best promote the rights of workers in China. We will share information and coordinate actions with common employers.

Change to Win is ready to build a new generation of solidarity to lift labor standards around the world because we believe, now more than ever, that Chinese and American workers are stronger together. True prosperity depends on building solidarity – so that workers, not just corporations and CEOs, can share in the benefits of today’s global economy.