Verified

Hanzhong Steel Company Workers Strike in Shaanxi

23:44 Feb 14 2012 Hanzhong Shaanxi China

Hanzhong Steel Company Workers Strike in Shaanxi Hanzhong Steel Company Workers Strike in Shaanxi
Description
From CLB:

More than 5,000 workers at the Hanzhong Steel Company in the northern province of Shaanxi went out on strike on 14 February demanding higher pay. Workers complained that they had to work weekends and holidays and yet their average monthly wage was still just between 1,000 yuan and 1,500 yuan, barely enough to live on.

The following day, several thousand strikers staged a demonstration... from the plant into the city streets holding banners proclaiming “We want our rights, we want to eat.” Scuffles with the local police ensued and around a dozen protestors were reportedly detained.

...

Steel prices have been at a low ebb in China for several months and many steel mills have been operating at a loss. Wages at under-performing, relatively small steel mills like Hanzhong have been kept low for several years while inflation has increased and workers in other local enterprises have seen wages go up.

From Steel Guru:

NDTV reported that over 5000 workers from Hanzhong Iron and Steel Group Company in Shaanxi Province went on a strike on Tuesday to protest low wages and long working hours.

They blocked the factory entrance, demanding a pay raise. They didn’t get a response from the factory's management. The next day, they took a banner to the streets reading, "We want our lawful rights and interests, we need food to survive."

According to China Jasmine Revolution website, local police disrupted the procession by blocking and dispersing the protesters. More than a dozen workers were arrested. A local government staffer admitted the strike, but declined to provide more information.

The workers from Hanzhong Iron and Steel Group Company have complained over the Internet that they do not have any time off on weekends, holidays and annual leave. Their monthly wage is CNY 1,500, about 238 US dollars. It's hard to survive with the low payment in China where inflation is soaring.

According to the official website of Hanzhong Iron and Steel Group, the company is a newly developed private enterprise after it acquired several local state owned enterprises since 2003. Currently the company has more than 5500 employees, and 1098 professional and technical personnel.

From bbs.news.163.com:

陕西勉县汉中钢铁公司五千多名员工,因工资低下,生活严重困难,从2012年2月14日开始罢工,要求涨工资。
14日,工人把厂区大门堵死。
15日,数千工人拉着横幅集体上街游行,横幅上写着:「我们要维权 我们要吃饭」、「汉钢工人 正当维权」 ,遭到数百名警察拦截、驱散,十多名工人被捕。工人打算明天有所行动,向政府要人。
据工人透露,现在物价飞涨,每月工资只有1500元,一家三口吃不包穿不暖,他们快被逼死了。而领导们却是高收入、包二奶,让人情何以堪,天理何在。

From Chengbiancun.com:

从2012年2月14日开始,陕西勉县汉中钢铁公司五千多名员工因工资低下,生活严重困难而罢工,要求涨工资。
14日,工人把厂区大门堵死。
15日,数千工人拉着横幅集体上街游行,横幅上写着:「我们要维权 我们要吃饭」、「汉钢工人 正当维权」 ,遭到数百名警察拦截、驱散,十多名工人被捕。工人们打算明天要求政府释放被捕工人。
据工人透露,现在每月工资只有1500元,根本满足不了一家三口的衣食住行。

以下内容来自于建嵘的搜狐微博(包括图片):
#钢铁工人站出来了!#2月14日,陕西勉县汉*中钢铁公司五千多名员工,因工资低下生活严重困难,开始罢工,要求涨工资并把厂区大门堵死。15日,数千工人拉着横幅“我们要维权我们要吃饭”、“汉钢工人正当维权”上街游行 ,遭到数百名警察拦截、驱散,十多名工人被捕。(包括图片)
Credibility: UP DOWN 0

Additional Reports

Yangjiaba (Hanzhong) Iron Ore Mine Workers Protest in Shaanxi

11:24 Feb 23, 2012

Yangjiaba Shaanxi, 0 Kms

Hanzhong Steel Workers Strike in Hanzhong, Shaanxi

22:40 Aug 22, 2011

Hanzhong, Hantai District, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China, 1.4 Kms

Hanzhong (Hans) Beer Factory Workers Strike in Hanzhong, China

16:32 Dec 25, 2009

Hanzhong, Hantai District, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China, 1.4 Kms

Lueyang Steel Workers Strike in Lueyang, Shaanxi

21:33 Apr 16, 2007

Lueyang, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China, 89.07 Kms