Yue Yuen Strike Spreads to Jiangxi

A strike at a Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings Ltd. factory in Dongguan, Guangdong province has spread to a sister factory in a neighbouring province, as thousands of workers gathered to protest against what they said were unfair pay and benefits.

About 2,000 workers clocked in on Monday, but did not work, at the Yue Yuen factory complex in Jiangxi province, southern China, joining at least 10,000 employees at another Yue Yuen factory complex in Dongguan, according to the Guardian. Wokers at the Guangdong province have been on strike since 14 April.

Up to 30,000 employees have stopped working in the strike – China's largest in recent memory, according to the New York-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) China Labour Watch.

The Dongguan complex, which is operated by the Taiwan-based Pou Chen Group, has at least 40,000 employees and produces footwear for Reebok, Nike, and more than 20 other brands. The Jiangxi complex mainly produces shoes for Adidas.

Tens of thousands of workers remained off the job Tuesday, according to workers and labor groups, after they rejected the company's latest offer, which included making up back payments for social security and housing, full contributions for those benefits starting May 1 and a $37 monthly cost of living allowance.

The workers at the Dongguan plant are demanding a 30 percent pay raise and a better-worded commitment to future contributions, according to Bloomberg News. They also say it's unfair that workers would be required to make up their share of missed contributions from the past. And they want their own representatives to negotiate with management.

By press release


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