Fang Chang
On October 9, International Socialist Forward (ISF – affiliated to Internationalist Standpoint) joined many trade union activists outside the Ministry of Labor, to show solidarity with the China Steel Express Union (CSEU) workers.
China Steel Express (CSE) is the most profitable subsidiary of China Steel Corporation (CSC) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China is the largest shareholder of the China Steel Group. CSE is threatening workers with mass dismissals.
In August, crew members and trade unions gathered outside the Ministry of Labor in support of China Steel Express Union (CSEU) workers. They also protested outside the Ministry of Economic Affairs and demanded that the ministry takes action to solve the problem of CSE’s suppression of crew members’ rights and interests.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor, which is supposedly responsible for protecting labor rights, has been silent about the crew’s protest. That’s why CSEU decided to besiege the Ministry of Labor and staged the protest of October 9.
CSE is trying to divide the workers by employing foreign crews (mainly from mainland China) with the aim of cutting costs and maximizing profits, but also in order to deal a blow to the trade union movement.
ISF severely condemns CSE’s oppression of crew members and trade unions rights, and condemns the present Taiwanese government of DPP for allowing a free hand to CSC to suppress workers’ rights. We also stress, that the policies by CSE with the encouragement of the DPP government, creates the danger of racism between Taiwanese and Chinese workers, whereas what is needed is class solidarity between the two.
ISF points out that the importation of foreign crews to replace Taiwanese crews shows that the work of the Taiwanese crews is necessary, and that therefore their rights should be fully respected. We have to fight for complete trade union rights and job security – and only thus can we break through the sentiment of labor protectionism and racism.
Under the initiative of ISF, students from the National Taiwan University and the National Taiwan Normal University also participated in this struggle to defend the rights of the crew members. We are also pointing out that it is necessary for engineering faculties too to join the fight, and that actions in support of labor rights at various faculties can inspire resistance and sustain the movement.
Finally, the unity of workers across industries and nationalities in the present struggle, can help in the accumulation of experience and provide inspiration for the future, for more sections by workers to fight and organize more anti-exploitation and anti-oppression protests.
CSEU’s struggle is still ongoing. ISF will continue to participate in the fight to defend the crew’s rights and particularly the right to work, and keep our readers informed.
