Text of report by Hong Kong Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy on 7 December
[Unattributed report: "Some 1,000 Taxi Drivers Go on Strike in Fushun, Liaoning"] According to information obtained by this centre, taxi drivers in Fushun, Liaoning, went on strike this morning because of their dissatisfaction with a new fee collected by the city government and the ineffectiveness of the authorities in banning illegal taxis. The city has about 4,500 taxis, but only some 1,000 took part in the strike. Despite its rapid economic development, China is one of the very few countries in the world that do not allow workers to engage in strikes, though striking is a basic human right.
As this centre has learned, the Fushun City Government has recently adopted a decision to collect a user fee on all taxis in the city. According to the decision, the amount for five years is 12,000 yuan. The fee for 2009 in the amount of 2,400 yuan must be paid in December this year. Beginning next year, the fee is to be paid monthly at 200 yuan per month. Now, taxi drivers are earning less than before because of the rise in the fuel price. The collection of the above-mentioned fee by the authorities has added to their financial difficulty. Plus, the taxi drivers are dissatisfied with the fact that more and more illegal taxis without licenses are operating in the city while the authorities are not effective in banning them. This prompted the taxi drivers in the city to decide to go on strike today. Learning of the taxi drivers' strike plan, the authorities tried to dissuade them by using the strategy of dividing and demoralizing. As a result, only 1,000 of the 4,500 taxis in the city took part in the strike. Two taxi drivers in Shuncheng District of Fushun City confirmed this when interviewed by us.
On 3 November 2008, some 8,000 taxis in Chongqing went on strike. On 6 November, Bo Xilai held a dialogue with the taxi drivers, and finally the government made some concessions. The Chongqing taxis drivers' victory quickly inspired their counterparts in all other parts of the country. Accordingly, seven strikes, each involving more than 1,000 taxi drivers, appeared in November. These strikes took place in six provinces (municipalities).
China signed the "International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights" in October 1997. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress ratified this document in 2001. Item 4 of Article 8 of the covenant stipulates that workers have "the right to strikes, provided that it is exercised in conformity with the laws of the particular country."
The Chinese Constitution adopted in 1954 made no mention of freedom of strike. Later, Mao Zedong suggested to revise the Constitution in this respect. Accordingly, the 1975 and 1978 versions of the Constitution contained provisions on freedom of strike. But the 1982 Constitution contained nothing about the right to strike. Now, China is one of the very few countries in the world whose constitutions do not allow their workers to strike.
Li Qiang, chairman of the Board of Directors of Yuqiang Group in Chongqing, was brought to trial in October this year because of his suspected crimes, including "criminal syndicate" activities. One of the charges was that he was involved in planning a taxi strike in Chongqing. Striking and forming independent unions are two basic human rights, but the fact is that forming independent unions may be accused of forming "criminal syndicate organizations," and striking is not protected by any law.
7 December 2009