Editor’s note: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa invited the ILWU to participate in the City’s Asia Trade mission and the Titled Officers designated Organizing Director Peter Olney to be part of the delegation. The ILWU participated in the first leg of the mission to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from October 8-15.
By Peter Olney
Director of Organizing
The Mayor’s delegation made four principal stops in China, beginning with three days in Beijing. We also made daylong visits to the port cities of Shanghai, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Because of the huge, 16 percent increase in traffic from China, the ILWU’s relationship with Chinese dockers and its understanding of the operations of Chinese ports are crucial to the union’s future well-being, and to its success in 2008 longshore bargaining. This trade also accounts for much of the growth in longshore registration in Los Angeles, Long Beach and throughout the union.
The trip gave the union the opportunity to:
• Take an up close look at three important Chinese seaports—Shanghai, Hong Kong and Guangzhou;
• Make contacts with leadership of the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) and important municipal and provincial trade unions;
• Continue to do important work on the Blue Diamond Growers campaign in Hong Kong;
• Deepen the union’s ties with Mayor Villaraigosa, his staff, and Harbor Commissioner Freeman and his staff;
• Meet players in international commerce particularly LA-based toy and apparel importers.
About fifty-five people participated in the China leg of the mission. The majority of the delegation was businesspeople, equally divided between importers, real estate and investment people. Only three representatives were from labor: Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, Kent Wong Director UCLA’s Labor Center and myself from the ILWU. It was very important for the ILWU to spend time with Ms Durazo who leads the second largest labor council in the United States and who will play an important role in supporting ILWU contract and organizing efforts.
Meetings with
Chinese Trade Unionists
Beijing—Kent Wong from UCLA facilitated a meeting for the ILWU and Maria Elena Durazo with leaders of the ACFTU. The ACFTU has 130 million members in 10 affiliated industrial unions and provincial and municipal councils. We met with the following persons:
• Wang Ying—Division Chief for Grass Root Organization and Capacity Building Department. She has been primarily involved in the recent organization by the ACFTU of 62 Wal-Mart retail outlets.
• Zhang Guoxian—Deputy Chief of the International Liaison Department.
• Tan Tao—Interpreter and Member of the International Liaison Department.
The discussion focused mainly on Wal-Mart organization and potential liaison activities. Delegates pointed out to the ILWU that it would be fruitful to seek a meeting with Wu Ziheng, Chair of the China Seamen and Construction Workers’ Union (CSCWU). This is one of 10 industrial committees of the ACFTU representing transport workers on the water and roads, including dockers, and construction and building materials workers. Mr. Wu Ziheng is an ex COSCO Captain!
Shanghai—Kent Wong arranged a meeting with leaders of the Shanghai Municipal Trade Union Council (SMTUC). There were three representatives present from the SMTUC:
• Wu Shen Yao—Vice Chairman SMTUC;
• Shen Xiongde—Director Inter-national Liaison Department SMTUC;
• Zhang Guo Feng—Deputy Director—International Liaison De-partment SMTUC;
In this meeting there was a wide-ranging discussion of organizing and social policy. Vice Chairman Wu explained that there are 20,000 dockworkers in Shanghai represented by the CSCWU. He said that CSCWU leaders in Shanghai would welcome a future delegation from the ILWU.
Hong Kong—The ILWU met with Mr. Lee Cheuk Yan, General Secretary, Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU). This is an umbrella organization for Hong Kong unions. There is no unionization in the port, however Mr. Lee said he is involved in an effort to organize the work force of 20,000. He says that he has 800 port workers who the HKCTU is working with. The HKCTU has a very strong relationship with the Solidarity Center of the AFL-CIO. Mr. Lee has been helpful to us in building solidarity for Blue Diamond workers.
The ILWU visited the Modern Terminals facility in Hong Kong. These three terminals have five cranes. (This is one terminal operation in a huge port). There is no on-dock rail, all traffic on land is by truck. A massive ten-story warehouse rises up next to the terminal. The warehouse is so large that tractors towing containers can drive up inside the warehouse on circular ramps to pick up and drop off cans. Several of these warehouses exist in the Port of Hong Kong. There is insufficient real estate or terrain to build out so everything builds up.
Guangzhou—Guangzhou is the capital city of the province of Guangdong. Kent Wong arranged a meeting with leaders of the Guangdong Provincial Trade Union Council. The principal leader of the GPTUC present at the meeting was Peng Fang, Director of the Council’s International Department. Mr. Peng assembled a large group of leaders, including some members of the Chinese Seamen’s Union to meet with the ILWU. The ranking member of the Guandong Provincial Trade Union Council was Mr. Xiao Jian Kun, the chairman of the Auditing Committee (Financial Secretary-Treasurer).
They also drove the ILWU 70 kilometers down the Pearl River Delta to see the Nansha Terminals of the Port of Guangzhou, and arranged a meeting with Mr. Deng, the terminal manager, who also serves as the vice chair of the Nansha Port Trade Union. He was aware of the lockout in 2002 and expressed an interest in knowing what would happen in 2008. CSCL ships call regularly in Oakland and Los Angeles from Nansha Terminals. These trade union leaders are very anxious to meet with a future delegation of ILWU leaders.
Nansha Terminals was built in the last two years and is already handling over 1.3 million TEUs per year. There is ample land for expansion, and construction of a completely new terminal was underway during the ILWU visit. There will be 10 berths available by the end of 2007. The brand new terminal headquarters building is immense and rivals the size of the Long Beach Port Building. Nansha Terminal is one of four terminals that are part of the Guangzhou Port Group.
For a whirlwind trip this was extremely productive for the ILWU. We made contacts with important labor leaders and maritime management officials that will be crucial to the long-term future of the union. It is still unclear of the exact relationship between labor and management in the People’s Republic, but only further contact will reveal an understanding of how best to manage the ILWU relationship with the ACFTU and Chinese management.
