International Centre for Trade Union Rights

We won't forget: the third anniversary of the Zhili Toy Factory fireSource: International Union Rights, Vol. 4, No. 1, Privatisation: no friend of working people(1997), pp. 19-20Published by: International Centre for Trade Union RightsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41937071 .

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ICniR IN ACTION a

We wont

forget:

the third

anniversary

of the Zhili

Toy Factory

fire

ICTUR has worked in support of the safe toys campaign over the last 12 months. We print here extensive extracts from a statement by the Coalition for the Charter on the Safe Production of Toys.

MANY PEOPLE may have forgotten those beautiful faces of the Zhili workers which were burnt or can smile no longer because of the workers' permanent disabilities. Perhaps we have forgotten the workers killed

in the fire and the sad faces of the parents who had lost their precious daughters. However, the victims of this fire are still suffering from their injuries and are struggling against problems caused by their injuries every day.

Every day, they are suffering.

Hong Kong toy manufacturers tell us, "The Zhili Fire is over. Don't always look back on the past. We should look to the future." However, many things have happened over and over again which remind us of the lessons of the Zhili Fire. So how can we forget? We won't forget, we dare not forget. ■ Regarding compensation, many victims of the Zhili fire and their dependents have not received adequate compensation in accordance with the law. The headquarters of Chicco in Italy has refused to give compensation to the victims. Without adequate compensation the survivors have no money for medical treatment or for their living

expenses. How can we just forget the Zhili fire? ■ In the three years since the fire there has been no significant improvement in the labour rights and working conditions of toy factory workers. A survey by the Coalition for the Charter on the Safe Production of Toys clearly shows that among nine Hong Kong- invested factories in the Pearl River Delta, none strictly follow the labour regulations of China, or international standards on health and safety and labour rights.

To make matters worse, many Hong Kong toy manufacturers are moving their factories from Shenzhen and Zhuhai to rural areas. In order to attract foreign investment, local governments are closing their eyes to any violation of labour rights by foreign investors. So how can we forget the Zhili fire? ■ Over the past two years the Coalition has demanded on several occasions that the Hong Kong Toys Council to endorse the Charter on the Safe Production of Toys, but

Page 19 Volume 4 Issue 1 1997 INTERNATIONAL union rights

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ICTUR IN ACTION □

the Toys Council has refused to do so. The Toys Council has no sincere commitment to safeguard the fundamental rights of toy workers in Asia. How can we forget the Zhili Fire? ■ In January, this year, the Coalition organised a peaceful demonstration at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to demand that the Toys Council to endorse the Toy Safety Charter, but the demonstrators were blocked and attacked by police and the security guards of the Convention Centre. Finally, several people were arrested and five demonstrators were charged and found guilty. This is basically an unholy alliance of big businesses and the Hong Kong Government to stop any criticism of Hong Kong toy manufacturers, so that toy manufacturers can continue their exploitation of Asian toy workers. So how can we forgot the Zhili Fire? ■ To attract more foreign investment, most governments in developing countries in Asia harshly oppress labour rights movements. In China, two independent trade unionists were charged for their "subversive" activities just because they organised the Zhili workers and their dependents to fight for the compensation they deserve and they organised workers to defend their rights. In the Philippines, to avoid any oppositional voices, the Government has deported grassroots organisers and NGO workers attending

NGO meetings on the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. This oppression of workers and NGOs by governments gives a "green light" to the toy manufacturers to exploit workers without any respect for their dignity and rights. So how can we forget the Zhili Fire?

We won't forget and we strongly demand that: ■ Chicco Company, in Hong Kong and in Italy, should give the adequate compensation to the Zhili victims according to the Chinese labour regulations; ■ The Hong Kong Toys Council should endorse the Toy Safety Charter immediately and set up a monitoring committee which includes Hong Kong workers or labour NGOs.

Statement by the Coalition for the Charter on the Safe Production of Toys

The International Confederation of Free

Trade Unions has established a site on

the world wide web - address:

http://www.icftu.org

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