- Title: CHINA: Shanghai truck drivers fight for better earnings through strike action
- Date: 23rd April 2011
- Summary: SHANGHAI, CHINA (APRIL 22, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CONTAINER TERMINAL AT WAIGAOQIAO PORT CONTAINER TRUCKS LINING UP TO ENTER TERMINAL SIGN READING "FOR HEAVY CONTAINER TRUCKS" IN MANDARIN CONTAINER TRUCKS LINING UP CONTAINER TRUCK DRIVING PAST CONTAINER WAREHOUSE CONTAINERS STACKED UP CONTAINER TRUCKS PARKED AT MAKESHIFT PARKING LOT ON SEMI-COMPLETED ROAD MEN O
- Embargoed: 8th May 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China, China
- Country: China
- Topics: Employment,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVA9VK89XWTDNHEW3J6NYM854ZGU
- Story Text: A strike by container truck drivers continued in Shanghai for a third day on Friday (April 22) amid signs the action had already started to curb exports from the world's busiest container port.
The strikers, many of them independent contractors who carry goods to and from the port, stopped work on Wednesday (April 20) demanding the government take action over high fuel costs and what some called high fees charged by logistics firms.
An official reached by telephone at Shanghai International Port (Group) Co, which runs the Shanghai port, said the strike had not affected operations, but would not comment further.
But one executive at a logistics company said the action was already starting to affect the port's operations, at least for exports.
The strike is a very public demonstration of anger over rising consumer prices and fuel price increases in China.
It comes as the government struggles to contain higher inflation, which hit 5.4 percent in March, fearful that rising prices could fuel protests like those that have rocked the Middle East.
Striking drivers said they felt they were not given adequate support by authorities for their line of work and now they have no choice but to continue with their action to press for better earnings.
"Of course it is hard work. If we don't work hard how would there be such economic prosperity in Shanghai? The import and export of goods is all done by us. If the transportation fees do not increase we cannot earn anything and everyone would not be willing to work," said 30-year truck driver, Mr. Shi, who said he was still on strike.
In general, Chinese workers have few means of pressing for better wages.
The government prohibits unions independent of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, an umbrella organisation run by the Communist Party. Historically, the ACFTU tries to prevent strikes.
Shi added that container truck drivers had not been getting support from transportation companies or the government despite their cost of operations rising rapidly through the past few years.
"For taxi drivers, they get subsidies from the government and we don't. When you sit on an airplane you have to pay a fuel surcharge. We also have to pay such surcharges but no one is helping us subsidise it," he said.
China said in early April it would lift retail gasoline and diesel prices by 5-5.5 percent to record highs.
Analysts warn that the strikes could inspire protests by workers in other transport sectors, given the rising fuel prices.
Truck drivers said they were pushed to the limit as they are now unable to bear the high operation costs.
"There are all kinds of unreasonable fees. For this logistics warehouse, they charge us overtime handling fees and also for now oil prices have risen. It was still okay when the oil prices did not increase. We just earn too little from our transportation fees," said 42-year-old truck driver, Mr. Hua, who was still considering whether to join the strike.
The strike has been muted out of China's tightly controlled state media as they have made no mention of the unrest.
The city's government, which is working hard to turn glamorous Shanghai into a global financial hub to compete with Hong Kong and London, has denied knowledge of the strike.
China is especially wary about threats to social stability following online calls for Middle East-inspired "Jasmine Revolution" protests and has detained dozens of dissidents, including renowned artist Ai Weiwei.
A crowd of up to 600 people gathered on Friday (April 22) morning outside an office of a logistics company near the Baoshan Port, one of the city's ports. Some threw rocks at trucks whose drivers had not joined in the strikes, breaking the windows of at least one truck.
As many as 50 police officers were at the area on Friday, and at least two people were arrested for throwing rocks. Plainclothes officers also briefly detained some foreign reporters and manhandled a Reuters photographer.
The unrest is occurring near at least one of the port's five major working zones, Waigaoqiao, a massive free-trade zone and bonded storage warehouse.
Shanghai overtook Singapore in 2010 to become the world's busiest container port. The Shanghai port handled 29.05 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in 2010. That is 500,000 TEUs more than Singapore.
Shanghai's cargo throughput rose to about 650 million tonnes in 2010, remaining the world's largest, up from 590 million tonnes in 2009.
Situated in the middle of the 18,000 km-long Chinese coastline, the Shanghai port is managed by the publicly listed Shanghai International Port (Group) Co Ltd, which is 44.23 percent owned by the Shanghai Municipal Government.
Last May labour disputes disrupted production for many foreign automakers including Toyota and Honda, which laid bare the rising demands of China's 150 million migrant workers and raised questions about the region's future as a low-cost manufacturing base. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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