49. “6:00 a.m. Today” Continues to Follow Up on the Story

Reporter Xiaoxia called to inform us that *Six O’Clock This Morning* would continue its coverage the following day, picking up where it left off on October 15, and continue to follow the female workers’ strike to form a union. At present, while relying on media coverage to generate public support, everyone is quietly awaiting a response from the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.

At 9:00 a.m. on October 17, 2006, Zhang Jun, having just finished his night shift, rushed to the entrance of Aoliwei Company. A female worker handed him that day’s issue of *Six O’Clock This Morning*. The article, compiled and published by a reporter who had interviewed several female workers on the spot, was titled: “Don’t Even Think About Working Here If You Won’t Sign the ‘Pledge’”—More Than 50 Employees Were Kicked Out of Aoliwei.

According to the report, Aoliwei Company once again applied intense pressure the previous day. Company management required female workers on the job to sign a written pledge stating that employees must not violate company rules and regulations (see attachment for details); in the event of a violation, they would be required to compensate the company for all losses, and in serious cases, would be terminated. However, the female workers were consistently denied access to the specific provisions of this so-called attachment and repeatedly demanded to see its contents.

In response to the female workers’ demands, a factory representative replied, “The attachment hasn’t been printed yet. If you’re willing to continue working, sign here; if not, you’re free to leave.” The conflict then escalated. Factory officials confiscated the ID badges of the fifteen female workers who had requested to review the attachment and escorted them all to a conference room. One of the workers recalled, “The manager summoned us to the conference room, where each of our written pledges was torn to shreds right there on the spot. We were then immediately driven out beyond the factory gates.”

50. Local trade union federations, having become involved in the negotiations, feel deeply at a disadvantage in the face of the company’s evasive tactics.

According to news reports, at 9:20 a.m. on October 16, 2006, a reporter was conducting an interview at the factory gate when he happened to run into Director Kong of the Fushan District Federation of Trade Unions. Director Kong, accompanied by the union’s legal advisor, had just concluded negotiations with company officials.

The reporter hurried over to ask about the progress of the negotiations: “How did the talks go?”

Director Kong replied, “As previously stated, company executives may establish a labor union in accordance with the law. On the 31st, the Fushan District Federation of Trade Unions will collect a union preparation fee from Aoliwei Company, calculated at 2 percent of the total payroll, to be collected for three consecutive months.”

The reporter pressed further: "How much does it cost, roughly?"

Director Kong: “About 3,000 yuan.”

The reporter continued to ask, “Does that mean that if a company refuses to form a union, the most it will have to pay is this amount?”

Director Kong replied, “That’s not the case; you’ll still need to pay over 1,000 yuan in preparation fees each month going forward.”

The reporter then asked, “If a company is willing to continue making contributions but consistently refuses to establish a labor union, how should this be handled?”

Director Kong admitted, “We don’t have a better solution; under the current legal framework, this is the only option.”

According to Director Kong, this marks the fifth and sixth time the Fushan District Federation of Trade Unions has visited the company for discussions and negotiations. He remarked, “The company’s attitude has softened somewhat now. At first, we could barely even get through the factory gates; even when we were able to meet, they would only send administrative staff with no decision-making authority to receive us, so we could only deliver the relevant legal documents. Today, the security guards already recognize us, which is why we were able to enter the factory premises without any trouble.”

When asked about the communication approach for this matter, Director Kong stated that the focus was on briefing companies on relevant laws and regulations, and that the companies were also aware that the 31st was the deadline for the relevant matters.

Zhang Jun learned from news reports that the local federation of trade unions had intervened in the negotiations on multiple occasions. In his view, various signs indicate that the local federation of trade unions is largely just going through the motions and stating its position, finding it difficult to take strong, substantive measures, and remaining constrained by management. Establishing a grassroots trade union does not require permission from company management; it is entirely possible to directly organize employees to hold a general meeting and conduct democratic elections, without having to wait for the company’s approval on every matter.

51. Zhang Jun proposed that the female workers burn their boats and continue the strike to maintain pressure.

After comprehensively assessing the situation from all angles, Zhang Jun proposed to the striking female workers: “We must burn our boats and press on with the strike in one decisive push. We should continue to maintain our presence at the factory gates to put pressure on Aoliwei Company, and keep persuading and deterring job seekers from applying, thereby cutting off their channels for recruiting new staff and preventing them from resuming normal production.”

At that very moment, the labor arbitration authority issued a statement through the media, indicating that if the female workers filed an arbitration application, their claims would be accepted and processed in accordance with the law. However, Zhang Jun did not agree that the female workers should turn to labor arbitration at this stage.He reasoned that once workers began filing arbitration claims en masse, the strike force would easily disintegrate; the general public typically believes that once legal proceedings begin, it is inappropriate to continue gathering for a strike. Aoliwei Company would seize this opportunity to buy time, and all the gains accumulated through the strike thus far could be completely lost. Subsequent developments proved that Zhang Jun’s assessment at the time was correct.

52. The female workers held a meeting to formulate a strike strategy and identify key leaders.

Early in the morning of October 17, 2006, Zhang Jun urged the female workers to convene a meeting as soon as possible to discuss their next course of action. He emphasized that this was a critical moment for unifying their thinking and building consensus; only by acting in unison could they pool their collective strength into a single, cohesive force.

Participants at this meeting included six worker representatives—such as Liu Meizhen and Jiang Qingqing—as well as several key female workers, including Wang Xinmei, Jiang Yuqiu, Wang Fangfang, Zhang Huilin, and Xing Pingping. Yu Huifang did not attend the meeting because she remained in hiding on the factory premises.

The meeting focused on four main topics:

1. How to Respond After a Failed Strike

Everyone agreed: even if the strike failed, it wouldn’t matter. If they couldn’t establish a union of their own, even if they returned to work, sooner or later Aoliwei would still target them and fire them. Since this was a do-or-die situation, if they failed, they might as well leave and find another way forward.

2. Strategies for Dealing with a Prolonged Strike Stalemate

According to Yu Huifang, who is undercover on the factory premises, she learned from management that a major international quality certification body will conduct an on-site inspection on October 23. There are also reports that a major client will visit to inspect production conditions in person. Regardless of the circumstances, the 23rd will be a critical milestone for Aoliwei Company.

Recognizing that the strike should not be prolonged indefinitely,the female workers decided to intensify the strike before October 23 by mobilizing the few colleagues still working on the shop floor to leave their stations and join the picket line outside the factory gates. At the same time, they would continue to expose the company’s efforts to suppress union organizing to the public at the factory entrance—particularly by informing job seekers of the company’s exploitative practices—in order to prevent more people from being hired and cut off Aoliwei’s access to new labor.

The female workers have tentatively agreed to continue the strike until the end of October. If there is still no substantial progress by then, they will abruptly end the strike and go their separate ways. This contingency plan is to be known only to those attending this meeting and must be kept strictly confidential.

3. Continue to seek support from higher-level labor unions and the media

Zhang Jun will continue to be responsible for liaising with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and coordinating media coverage.

4. Identify candidates for the future union leadership team

The meeting tentatively selected the following members for the Aoliwei Labor Union Committee: Wang Xinmei, Yu Huifang, Jiang Yuqiu, Wang Fangfang, and Xing Pingping. Among them, Wang Xinmei is proposed to serve as union chairperson, and Yu Huifang as vice chairperson. During the subsequent formal election, all female employees are urged to cast their votes for these candidates to avoid splitting the vote and prevent a candidate supported by the company from being elected as union chairperson.

However, Xing Pingping, a female worker widely regarded by everyone, politely declined the offer to join the union committee but said she would continue to participate fully in the strike.

That morning, Zhang Jun contacted the All-China Federation of Trade Unions again and learned that the matter had already attracted the close attention of the Federation’s top leadership.

53. Guo XX of the Labor Inspection Brigade used abusive language and publicly berated a female worker.

Shortly after work began on the afternoon of October 17, 2006, labor inspectors Shi Moumou and Guo Moumou drove into the Aoliwei Company factory grounds. Liu Meizhen and others noticed the two entering the factory and waited at the gate to find out the outcome of their discussion; Zhang Jun was also present.

At 4:00 p.m., Shi Moumou and Guo Moumou drove out of the factory gate to leave, and female workers including Liu Meizhen and Jiang Qingqing immediately surrounded them to ask about the progress of the matter. Jiang Qingqing asked Shi Moumou from inside the car, “On what grounds is Aoliwei Company preventing the six of us and our other coworkers from returning to work at the factory?”

Guo, sitting in the passenger seat, chewed gum with an impatient look on his face as he snapped at the female worker, “Get out of my way! We’re here on business at the company—what’s it got to do with you?!”

Guo’s rude attitude instantly sparked anger among the female workers, and everyone began to criticize his high-handed behavior. In the heat of the moment, one of the female workers retorted on the spot, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

A feisty female worker immediately pointed her finger at Guo So-and-so and shouted, “What the hell do you think you are? How dare you talk to us like that! You must be tired of living!” “Drag him out—let’s beat that bastard to death!” the female workers all shouted angrily.

54. Shi Moumou questioned the All-China Federation of Trade Unions’ position, asking, “What does the All-China Federation of Trade Unions know?” and insisted that the strike was illegal.

Seeing how indignant the crowd had become, Guo [surname] dared not speak another word. Shi [surname], looking displeased, declared to the female workers, “The strike you’ve initiated is illegal!”

Liu Meizhen immediately retorted, “Our strike is not illegal—that’s what the All-China Federation of Trade Unions told us as well. On what grounds do you claim the strike is illegal?”

Shi Moumou responded, “What does the All-China Federation of Trade Unions know anyway?” He then went on to emphasize, “This strike of yours is illegal—don’t listen to the All-China Federation of Trade Unions!”

In the eyes of female workers, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions is the highest governing body of the national labor movement and enjoys a high level of credibility. Upon hearing these remarks, everyone was deeply shocked. Liu Meizhen immediately pressed her further: “Are you willing to take responsibility for what you just said?”

At that moment, Shi—whose last name is withheld—glared, let out a defiant “Hmph!” with a smirk, and shouted, “I take full responsibility for every word I say!”

55. Guo XX, a member of the Labor Inspection Brigade, pointed at the female strike representatives at the Aoliwei Company security gate and shouted, “Get them cleared out of here right now!”

At that moment, Guo XX impatiently said to Shi XX, “Why are you wasting your time arguing with these people?” He then opened the car door, found the security guard, and, pointing at the female workers, said, “They’re no longer employees of your company. Get them out of here right now!!”

The female workers all turned on Guo Moumou, shouting, “You Aoliwei lackey! What gives you the right to say we’re no longer employees of the company? Pah! You’re a dog—and you’re still sitting around doing nothing at the Labor Bureau?”

Seeing this, Zhang Jun immediately told Liu Meizhen and the others to quickly preserve the contents of the conversation they had just had with the two representatives from the Labor Bureau as evidence, and to find the eyewitnesses present to corroborate it, as it might come in handy later. Liu Meizhen and the others promptly followed his instructions. The contents are as follows (photographs from that time are attached):

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