Workers Likely Won't Be Unionized (GM investing heavily in China)

[CShine]

As General Motors Corp. and other top automakers prepare to invest billions of dollars in China, international labor leaders paint a bleak picture for the prospect of organized representation for auto workers there. Labor officials say that's likely to mean low wages and poor working conditions.

"The Chinese government is engaged in a systematic campaign to repress legitimate trade union activity in order to suppress wages and attract foreign capital," Ron Gettelfinger, the president of the United Auto Workers union, said Tuesday in remarks to the International Metalworkers' Federation World Auto Council.

Roughly 200 union officials representing auto workers in 25 countries are meeting through Thursday in this Detroit suburb to discuss strategies for dealing with industry changes, such as the outsourcing of jobs in some regions and rapid expansion taking place in Asia. In particular, China's economy is expected to grow at an annual rate of 9.8 percent in the first half of this year, and auto sales are strong. Since 1996, global automakers have pumped more than $12 billion into Chinese automotive operations, according to the IMF, and the spending continues.

GM, the world's largest automaker, said Monday it plans to invest $3 billion over the next three years in China, which is poised to become the third largest market for auto production behind the United States and Japan.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AUTOS_CHINA_LABOR?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=BUSINESS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[struggle4progress]

1. Corporate monopolies have no patriotic feelings ...

they simply want to screw workers.