Visiting labor leaders from the United States have ended years of
mistrust of Chinese unions by forging cooperative ties with their
Chinese counterparts.
Change to Win, America's second largest coalition of unions, and
the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) will work together
to better ensure workers' rights in a global age, said Anna Burger,
leading the first nationwide labor delegation to visit China.
Speaking Tuesday at a news briefing, Burger said this marked the
first important step towards a bright future of cooperation between
the two countries' unions.
Despite the differences in political systems, history and
culture, the two countries' unions "share the same mission of
representing the working people", she said, adding that discussions
between the two sides had been "frank, open and exciting."
The chairwoman said that the visit was made possible by the
common goal of safeguarding labor rights and that this type of
visit would help the differing trade union systems better
understand each other. She added that the globalization of capital
would bring the two countries' unions closer together in improving
the lives of the workers in their charge.
Future avenues of collaboration will the two union coalitions
exchange information and strategies on how to negotiate with
multinationals. She furthered pledged to address criticisms of
China's draft labor rights law with the American Chamber. She
defended China's right to insist foreign firms abide by this law
since it looks out for the interests and rights of Chinese
workers.
She also applauded the roles of Chinese trade unions and said
they, like their counterparts in other countries, are striving to
safeguard labor rights.
The labor representatives on Monday held a seminar with the
ACFTU on collective bargaining with global corporations in Beijing
after enjoying a three-day visit to Shanghai, where they met with
port workers and employees of multinationals.
Before flying to China, James Hoffa, a member of the delegation
and president of the Teamsters Union, told reporters that a
dialogue must be fomented with the 100-million member ACFTU.
The view among analysts is that this visit could help dispel
misconceptions some Americans have about China, such as blaming
cheap Chinese exports for growing unemployment lines.
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"It is a good beginning as the visit brings an end to the
disengagement by labor groups. All the trade unions worldwide
should unite and improve their ties," said Guan Huai, a professor
at the Beijing-based Renmin University.
China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin met with the trade
union leaders on Tuesday, and assured them of the Chinese
government's full support for cooperation between trade unions in a
time of economic globalization.
ACFTU President Wang Zhaoguo, who is also vice chairman of the
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top
legislature, also met with the union leaders, demonstrating the
importance placed in this exchange at the highest levels of
government.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2007)