Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HONGKONG976
2009-05-29 13:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Hong Kong
Cable title:  

CODEL PELOSI, ACTIVISTS DISCUSS CHINA'S LABOR

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL ECON ELAB ETRD OREP PELOSI 
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VZCZCXRO5944
PP RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHHK #0976/01 1491341
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 291341Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7715
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HONG KONG 000976 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM,

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2034
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ECON ELAB ETRD OREP PELOSI
NANCY),HK, CH
SUBJECT: CODEL PELOSI, ACTIVISTS DISCUSS CHINA'S LABOR
RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Classified By: Consul General Joe Donovan for reasons 1.4 (B,D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HONG KONG 000976

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM,

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2034
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ECON ELAB ETRD OREP PELOSI
NANCY),HK, CH
SUBJECT: CODEL PELOSI, ACTIVISTS DISCUSS CHINA'S LABOR
RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Classified By: Consul General Joe Donovan for reasons 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) Summary: Prominent Hong Kong-based human rights and
labor activists Han Dongfang and Robin Munro told CODEL
Pelosi May 29 that a maturing grassroots rights movement in
China gives them hope, though pervasive corruption remains a
major obstacle to protecting Chinese citizens' rights and
welfare. The central government recognizes local officials
are "fleecing" ordinary Chinese and sees this as an issue on
which to engage the people and help ensure regime survival.
Chinese citizens for now generally direct their anger at
local officials. Han and Munro, Director and Research
Director, respectively, of the China Labor Bulletin, noted
progress in the areas of winning labor lawsuits and promoting
collective bargaining in mainland China. They contend
Western companies should continue to be role models for
Chinese enterprises, but the Chinese people will have to do
the heavy lifting in fighting for their basic economic and
labor rights. End summary.


2. (C) Speaker Pelosi started the meeting by introducing Han
as someone she has known since 1993 and has admired for much
longer. Calling him a true hero who fought for human rights
under a Communist regime, she remarked it was an honor for
the delegation to have a chance to meet with him. Speaker
Pelosi called Robin Munro a "true voice" of the rights and
labor situation in China who "never burns out."


Maturing Grassroots Labor Rights Movement
--------------


3. (C) Responding to the Speaker's question on the future
hope for human rights in China, Han recalled how during the
first 10 years following the Tiananmen crackdown, no one
dared do anything in a pervasive atmosphere of fear. In the
last decade, however, Chinese people have chosen to overcome
their fears to fight for basic labor and economic rights they

feel have been robbed by corruption. Despite lack of money
and education, many farmers and workers recognize they need
to stand up and demand their rights. Han was proud to be
part of the fight when the movement first started on the
Mainland, but even more proud now to be able to follow
closely the movement's development and apply the resources of
his organization, China Labor Bulletin (CLB),to the workers'
cause.


NGO Expands Focus, Sees Real Results
--------------


4. (C) Munro explained that about 5 years ago CLB expanded
its focus from just monitoring and reporting on the labor
rights situation in China to actively running programs in
mainland China. One program is funding mainland rights
lawyers to represent Chinese workers and farmers in large
collective lawsuits. CLB currently operates these legal
representation programs in 10 Chinese provinces. While CLB's
ultimate goal is to see China obtain democracy and rule of
law, they had realized "waving these banners" was not the
most effective way to instill these concepts into Chinese
people's consciousness; it was more effective to make it
relevant to the people's daily lives. In 2008, CLB-funded
cases won over USD 1.5 million in compensation for Chinese
workers, said Munro.


5. (C) Representative Sensenbrenner asked about the level of
success in litigating against employers who are state-owned
enterprises (SOEs). Munro responded that most of the
lawsuits CLB supports are against private enterprises, but
admitted the continued close links between private employers,
many of whom used to manage SOEs, and government pose a
difficult challenge to getting a fair trial.


6. (C) Another CLB program generating positive results is
promoting collective bargaining in China. Munro, thanking
the Speaker for her letter of support that helped CLB get USG
funding for the program, noted the current situation in China
is ripe for workers to engage in such actions. Although the
protests occurring across the country are not coordinated, an
independent workers' movement is emerging; all the workers
need are the tools to help them fight for their rights.
While workers in China are prohibited from forming unions,
collective bargaining is not illegal. Han added that
protests and strikes are part of the bargaining process, but
CLB aims to help the workers learn to bargain "at the table."
Munro noted the Shenzhen government's recent endorsement of
collective bargaining and Xiamen province's latest labor laws
as positive signs that the government is willing to listen.

HONG KONG 00000976 002 OF 003




Corruption Still the Heart of the Problem
--------------


7. (C) Responding to Representative Markey's request for an
example of abuse of farmers' and workers' rights, Han
recalled a recent phone call he received from some farmers
who were trying to avoid being arrested for protesting in
Beijing about inadequate compensation for their land. The
local government confiscated their land to build a highway;
in addition to not being notified in advance, they were only
offered 60 percent of what central government documents
assessed as the true value of the land. Han, noting he
receives similar calls "constantly," contends that
corruption, particularly local, remains the main obstacle for
securing workers' rights. Han, however, sees signs for hope
as the central government and the Chinese people have come to
realize this is an issue on which they can work together.
Responding to Representative Inslee's question about
Beijing's fears of a regime collapse, Han contended the
central government sees eradicating corruption at all levels
as essential to regime survival. In return, the people's
anger is generally directed at local corrupt officials and
not the central government.


8. (C) Robin Munro agreed with Speaker Pelosi that even a
basic right such as having access to clean air is affected by
corruption. Noting that popular dissatisfaction is much more
widespread now than 20 years ago, Munro contends local
officials continue to have free reign to fleece Chinese
citizens. As a result, discontent is not only found in
political elites as in the past, but with the ordinary
population on a large scale.


External Factors Have a Role to Play
--------------


9. (C) Representative Blumenauer asked what kind of role
could U.S. companies play in adjusting the overall attitude
towards workers' rights. Munro responded that Western
companies have played an important role by serving as role
models for providing safe work environments and ensuring
workers' rights, but the heavy lifting needs to be done by
the Chinese people. For workers' rights to become a
permanent concept, it needs to come from the Chinese
citizenry. There is no shortcut, Munro said.


10. (C) Responding to Representative Markey's question about
the role of the Internet in the current rights movement, Han
remarked the Internet plays a key role in pressuring the
Chinese government to address these and other issues. The
Internet also allows the Chinese people and outside observers
to have a voice on human and labor rights issues that didn't
exist before. As the rights movement continues to grow, the
Internet will become even more important.

Tibet
--------------


11. (C) Han encouraged the delegation to help bring the Dalai
Lama and Beijing together. Han fears that the time when
China becomes democratic will be the time when Tibet pushes
for independence, forcing the newly-elected Chinese leader to
either invade Tibet or step down, leaving the military leader
to carry out the invasion. Han contends the Chinese
population will support the invasion. Speaker Pelosi
remarked that the delegation couldn't even get a visa to
Tibet.


12. (U) U.S. Participants:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mr. Paul Pelosi
Consul General Joseph Donovan, Jr.
Rep. Edward Markey and Dr. Susan Blumenthal
Rep. James Sensenbrenner and Mrs. Cheryl Sensenbrenner
Rep. Earl Blumenauer and son Jon Blumenauer
Rep. Jay Inslee and Mrs. Trudi Inslee
Professional Staff Members to the Speaker and Representatives
Lisa Tam, Consulate Political Officer (notetaker)


13. (U) Hong Kong Participants:

Han Dongfang, Director of China Labor Bulletin
Robin Munro, Research and Communications Director, China
Labor Bulletin


14. (U) Speaker Pelosi's staff have cleared this cable.

HONG KONG 00000976 003 OF 003


DONOVAN