ACFTU Measures Promote Migrant Benefits, Also Aim To Curb Independent Groups

Sun Chunlan, Vice Chair and First Secretary of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), called for the national union federation to continue efforts to protect the legal rights of migrant workers at an October 15 meeting on migrant labor, according to an October 16 Legal Daily report (in Chinese). Citing the Sixth Plenum mandate to establish a socialist harmonious society, Sun told unions in the federation to focus on five facets of migrant worker protection: participating in the formulation and implementation of laws and policies to protect migrant worker rights; solving acute problems such as wage distribution, labor safety, and social security, while implementing a three-year plan to have enterprises sign contracts with migrant workers; assisting migrant workers with their work and problems in their livelihood; promoting education and training among migrant workers; and bringing more migrant worker groups into ACFTU branches. Sun also cited recent accomplishments in furthering protections for migrants, noting that the ACFTU brought more than 6.5 million migrant workers into its membership during the year. She said that 9.18 million migrant workers in enterprises with ACFTU branches have signed labor contracts, a figure that represents 39.5 percent of ACFTU migrant worker members.

While ACFTU efforts have promoted benefits for migrant workers, its status as a Party-led mass organization prevents migrant workers from exercising internationally recognized labor rights, including the right to organize independent unions. As the only legally recognized labor federation in China, the ACFTU controls all local union branches and aligns worker and union activity with government and Party policy. (For more information, see Section V(c), Protection of Internationally Recognized Labor Rights, in the CECC 2006 Annual Report.)

Sun's call for ACFTU branches to incorporate migrant worker groups also reflects Party opposition to independent labor movements that would threaten state power or challenge the ACFTU's authority. On November 9, Shenzhen authorities closed the office of the Shenzhen Migrant Workers Association (SMWA) after it organized a campaign urging the government to eliminate labor dispute arbitration fees, according to a November 15 Radio Free Asia report (in Chinese) and November 16 China Labour Bulletin (CLB) article. After searching the association's office, as well as the offices of other organizations participating in the campaign, authorities ordered the SMWA to stop operations because it was an unregistered organization that engaged in "illegal activities." The SMWA primarily provided legal services and social activities for migrant workers but also took part in a campaign in March that gathered signatures from 10,000 migrant workers to protest high labor dispute arbitration fees. The SMWA spearheaded work in early November to expand the signature campaign to gather 1 million signatures, according to the CLB article.

For more information on conditions for migrant workers and labor rights in China, see related CECC analyses on ACFTU efforts to establish branches in companies owned by foreign enterprises, insurance for work-related injuries, and unpaid migrant wage claims, as well as Section V(c), on labor rights, in the CECC 2006 Annual Report.