Text of report by Hong Kong Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy on 10 September

[Hong Kong Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy report: "3,000 Workers in Huludao Liaoning Block Roads, Clash With Hundreds of Special Police, 10 Injured"]

Urgent! [as published, in English]

(1110 hours 10 Sep 2009) - This Centre has learned that the large state-owned enterprise "Jinhua Chemical Industry Group Corporation, Ltd.", which has 20,000 staff and workers, owes back wages to its workers, and that has led to its workers blocking major roads in several places in Huludao. The roadblocks were put up beginning on 7 September, and have been in place for four days now. Yesterday afternoon there was a clash between 3,000 workers and several hundred Public Security and special police personnel in the area of the city's Wuli River Bridge. Ten workers were injured. Also, a worker explicitly indicated that if the problems of everyday life of the 20,000 workers and their families are not resolved, the workers will take to the streets, block roads and demonstrate on 1 October.

This Centre has learned that the Jinhua chemical industry plant at Huludao was once one of China's 500 strongest enterprises, and was called "the cradle of China's chemical industry." In the 1950s and 60s it was the most important chemical industry base in all of China. But in recent years it has not been run well, and corruption at the management level has led to increasingly poor profitability at the plant. At present, not only does the plant owe a month's wages to its entire workforce, the plant is preparing to dismiss about 5,000 of its workers. The dismissed workers will only be able to get 120 to 500 RMB in wages per month. The highest wage for those who remain on the job will be only 1,100 RMB, and the lowest just 580 RMB. The workers are extremely concerned about how they are going to live. Beginning on 7 September, workers blocked and demonstrated all four roads at an intersection at the Wuli River bridge. The demonstration paralysed transportation at Huludao, a place of strategic importance to the Navy. Yesterday afternoon several hundred Public Security and special police personnel clashed with workers while driving them away from the scene. Ten workers were injured. Today workers were still blocking roads, and they have begun to do so in shifts. A worker indicated that if their problems are not resolved, the workers will take to the streets and demonstrate on 1 October. The chemical industry company admitted to this Centre that it did owe its workers wages in arrears, but said it is borrowing money to resolve that.

Source: Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Hong Kong, in Chinese 10 Sep 09