Aggregated Awareness

From Reuters comes a commentary on the effects of the Chinese Labour strikes on various parts of the global economy.

In April & May, we saw suicides by several workers over wages, at FoxConn, manufacturer of the Apple iPhone, Dell & Hewlett-Packard computers amongst other electronics equipment.

This was followed up in late May & June, with strikes at Japanese auto manufacturers in China such as: Honda, Toyota, and Nissan, amongst others.

Concerns are now mounting over the extent of the forces which are now driving disgruntled Chinese workers to seek industrial action, with many questions being raised about what such action will have on interested parties and areas of the global economy dependent upon cheap Chinese labour, such as the ruling Chinese Communist Government, Foreign Companies operating in China, Foreign Direct Investments, Cost of Chinese products in the export market.

Excerpt: "...The strikes are a symptom of a broader trend that many investors will have to consider: a Chinese workforce becoming more assertive and selective, and sometimes inclined to protest by strikes, slow-downs and, most often, quitting.

Government numbers show that registered labour disputes have been rising.

The recent strikers have mostly been members of China's 150-million strong migrant labour workforce, which flows from villages to cities and industrial regions looking for work.

Younger migrant workers are becoming more demanding about job conditions. They see their futures in the cities, not in farming, and feel the pressure to save up money despite rising costs.

They are also gaining more bargaining power as the flow of potential job seekers tightens, because of wider opportunities and fewer entrants into the workforce as the population ages..."

Source...