Since China first commenced with its reform and open policy in 1979, it has undergone a gradual process of economic change, resulting in dramatic transformations domestically for the lives of Chinese people, at the same time that such changes have resulted in China having become a crucial component of the global capitalist economy. As the Chinese government pursued policies which encouraged FDI to begin to pour into China, particularly from the early 1990s, China transformed itself into the ‘world’s factory’ built largely on the exploitation of Chinese migrant labour.
Global call for action to scientists, doctors, researchers and groups affected by asbestos
An influential group of scientists and researchers today launched a global campaign to counter the misinformation from the asbestos industry, particularly in Asia, about the cancer causing product.
At least 47 workers were killed and many more were severely injured, when a fireworks factory exploded in Tangerang district, Indonesia on Thursday, October 26. Located in one of biggest industrial area in Indonesia, the PT Panca Buana Cahaya Sukses (PBCS) factory is now being suspected by the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower of not having appropriate work safety procedures. The allegation came after it was discovered that the factory gate was always locked and this trapped many workers inside the factory when the accident occurred.
This manual reflects the result of several trainings, workshops, and conversations in the past three years of grassroots organisers in Asia with whom Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC) have worked together to learn how the grassroots workers understand the concept of social protection and evaluate the social protection programmes in their countries. More importantly, the participatory processes that served as the foundation of this manual helped in the formulation of a grassroots perspective on social protection as well as the grassroots workers’ social protection demands.
This book provides an insight into how we see the global trajectories of capitalism from a labour perspective in the specific context and setting in Asia. It represents an ongoing effort by labour activists to challenge capital in their particular context. The book discusses a unique perspective on efforts towards the changes of labour relations, with concrete examples of the implementation of different workers’ organizing strategies and initiatives.
Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC), Asian Network for the Rights of Occupational and Environmental Victims (ANROEV), GoodElectronics Network (GE), International Campaign for Responsible Technology (ICRT), IPEN
Asia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Partly, the rapid economic growth is due to the rise of Factory Asia as manufacturing as well as the deepening of agricultural and extractive transnational corporations' (TNCs) operations in the region. Investments by TNCs are welcomed by the Asian governments, which have been adopting neoliberal economic policies more than ever.
The Occupational and Environmental Health Network of India (OEHNI) published the National Asbestos Profile of India on April 28, 2017 - International Workers Memorial Day. The hazards of Asbestos are well known. 55 countries have banned its use, trade, import, mining, manufacturing and other economic activities related to asbestos. Nepal banned asbestos in 2014 while Sri Lanka has declared to ban import of asbestos roof sheets from 2018. The Government of Sri Lanka plans to cease use of all asbestos products by 2024.
The Asian Roundtable on Social Protection (AROSP) is a network of grassroots workers’ organisations, trade unions, NGOs, and scholars in Asia that work on the issues of formal and informal workers. AROSP serves as a platform to provide mutual help, facilitate information sharing, and help organisations build their understanding on social protection. As a regional network, it aims to support and consolidate the regional struggle for social protection for the poor across various sectors in Asia.
AMRC organised a workshop in June 2016 bringing together women workers' educators to talk about the challenges women workers face at the workplace addressing their health concerns, including reproductive health and issues such as sexual harassment.
Arrested Guangdong labour activists Zeng Feiyang, Meng Han, Zhu Xiaomei and Tang Huanxing, were charged with “disturbing social order” by the People’s Procuratorate of Panyu District, Guangzhou Municipality in June 2016 and will be tried in the near future.
*This manual was updated in May 2016 with the new regulations in China.
This training manual was produced by China Labor Support Network (CLSN) for their training workshop on the Reproductive Health of Women workers in the garments and electronics manufacturing industries, mainly because of the higher concentration of women employees in these industries.
Thank you for your mail and the questions you have raised. First and foremost, we would like to express our sympathy for the pain that has been caused during AMRC’s difficult restructuring process in 2011.
AMRC is a labour rights organisation that is part of labour movement building in Asia. For more than 40 years, we have been supporting the grassroots democratic movement in Asia and working with more than 100 organisations in the region.
April 24th, 2016 marked the 3rd anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy that killed 1,129 garment workers and injured thousands more.
The Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE), as part of its ongoing advocacy to ensure social protection for the workplace accident victims and affected families, organized a human chain and laid wreaths at the site of the Rana Plaza disaster in Savar.