China is a complicated place. And, certainly, there has been a lot of debate in U.S. labor circles about how to engage with the Chinese labor movement–some see the one legal union in China as simply a government-run monolith that stands in for any independent union, while others see a more complicated picture where labor activists and union officials at local and regional levels play important roles protecting workers.

    So, with that background, I got this alert from our friends at the National Labor Committee:

The Worker Center, an independent labor rights NGO in Shenzhen, was established seven years ago.  Their mission was simply to help workers claim their legal rights due them under China’s labor laws.  Most recently, the NGO was deeply involved in promoting and popularizing China’s new Labor Contract Law, distributing free brochures to workers explaining their new rights.  On October 11, 2007, the attacks began.  Three pipe-wielding men smashed the Center’s windows and broke down the door.  On November 14, a second attack took place as several men again smashed the furniture in the Worker Center, threatening as they left, that the center should not open again.  Then on November 20, as the Center leader, Mr. Huang Qingnan, was on his way to speak with a worker in a nearby factory who had been beaten by his boss for asking for his wages, several men suddenly approached Mr. Huang from behind and repeatedly stabbed him in the back.  One blow was so severe it broke Huang’s left leg.  Mr. Huang remains hospitalized, and may lose his left leg due to infection and extreme muscle damage.

    There is more about the attack here.

    And what can you do. The NLC suggests this:

Please write to the U.S. Ambassador to China:

Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr.

United States Embassy of Beijing, China

Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3,

Beijing, China 100600

United States Trade Representative’s Office:

Ambassador Susan C. Schwab

600 17th Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20508

U.S. Department of Labor:

Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao

U.S. Department of Labor

200 Constitution Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20210

Dear__:

I ask that the United States government appeal directly to the government of China requesting that a thorough investigation be immediately undertaken leading to the prosecution of the criminals who savagely attacked Mr. Huang Qingnan, director of the Worker Center in Shenzhen.  The Center’s mission is solely to help workers claim their legal rights as afforded under China’s labor laws.  Thank you.