Striking to Survive: Workers’ Resistance to Factory Relocations in China

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“This is a unique book that is a must-read for anyone concerned with the fate of Chinese workers. It vividly presents workers’ unfiltered voices about their experiences during two strikes in south China, recorded from multiple vantage points—to strike or not to strike, their initial enthusiasm, their distrust of their peers and representatives, internal divisions, and the uncertainty of what to do next. No academic treatise could possibly capture the circumstances and state of mind of Chinese workers as well as this book.” — Anita Chan, coeditor of The China Journal The Third Round of Migrant Labor Struggles in Post-Socialist Guangdong: Introduction to the English Edition - Pun Ngai and Sam Austin Author’s Preface to the English Edition Original Preface Analysis of a Typical Relocation Strike in 2013 Oral Histories of the Strike Delegate Wu: “Circles formed in each department as workers began communicating with one another” An Employee from the Factory Warehouse: “Many workers’ delegates got scared and refused to go back. I wasn’t scared.” Foreman Fu: “The boss is really shameless.” Foreman Gong of the Bronzing Department: “We couldn’t control the workers’ emotions.” Bronzing Department Worker Ms. He: “The main issue is that the government deceived us.” Extrusion Department Worker Mr. Jiang: “Some delegates spoke often about how we had to obey the law—excessively so.” Ms. Liao: “What’s the point of being a good employee when the boss is not good-hearted?” Ms. Tian: “We had come out twice before, so we assumed this time would be no different.” Several Women Workers Have Their Say: “Just as I was about to go, an officer kicked me.” Appendix: Relocation Struggle at a Uniqlo Supplier, 2014 to 2015