The world's top anti-unionist Wal-Mart saw a new trade union set up in one of
its outlets in the southern China city of Shenzhen early Tuesday morning, where
the world's leading retailer locates its China headquarters.
The trade union of the Wal-Mart Dafen store in Shenzhen was installed around
1:00 a.m. Tuesday despite "repeated and various obstacles," an official with the
All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) said.
Altogether 24 employees of Wal-Mart's Dafen store elected their first trade
union committee and a fund auditing committee. Chen Li, a 25-year-old employee,
was elected chairman of the trade union committee.
People in charge of the local federation of trade unions in Shenzhen and
government officials have been to the store to push forward the formation of the
trade union, according to the ACFTU official.
The official said the previous two Wal-Mart trade unions in the city, set up
on August 4 and 6 respectively, have met with no or little difficulties.
Wal-Mart China, however, told Xinhua earlier that the company had not been
officially notified about such union activities in advance.
The Wal-Mart employees at the Dafen store had applied to the Buji Subdistrict
Federation of Trade Unions for the establishment of their own labor union.
Liang Yaofa, deputy chairman of Shenzhen Federation of Trade Unions, said
joining the trade union was a voluntary choice of these employees, and the
Federation respected their rights and decision.
So far, 27 employees at the Dafen store have voluntarily joined in the labor
union.
Up to now, five trade unions have been set up in Wal-Mart China stores.
Employees at Wal-Mart's outlets in the eastern city of Nanjing and in the
southern city of Shenzhen convened late Saturday and early Sunday to unionize.
Wal-Mart's 60 Chinese outlets employ 23,000 people. The first trade union was
set up at Wal-Mart's Jinjiang outlet on July 29 after 30 employees appealed to
the local federation of trade unions. The second was set up last Friday at
Wal-Mart's Hujing store in Shenzhen.
According to China's trade unions law, enterprises or institutions with 25
employees and above should establish trade unions, and employees have the right
to join the ACFTU.
