Hello, biscuite-ga!
The following information provides an overview of the problems that
are rampant in the Chinese fireworks industry as well as
recommendations to implement change.
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OVERVIEW OF THE CHINESE FIREWORKS INDUSTRY
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"The People?s Republic of China is the world?s biggest producer of
fireworks. Firework factories are often small and locally owned,
employing young people and often outsourcing production to small
workshops in closely packed residential areas. Firework production is
frequently organized around village-level enterprises that subcontract
assembly work to local village residents who work at home."
From "The China Labour Bulletin."
http://www.china-labour.org.hk/iso/article.adp?article_id=4960
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PROBLEMS - ILLEGAL PRODUCTION, CHILD LABOR AND SAFETY ISSUES
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The Chinese Fireworks industry has been the subject of intense
scrutiny since a series of explosions plagued fireworks factories in
the summer of 2003. Previously, accidents had been largely ignored by
the Chinese government or blamed on other circumstances. These safety
issues have not gone unnoticed by the rest of the world, however. The
fact that much of the fireworks industry involves illegal child labor
has also elicited anger.
In 2001, the Chinese government blamed a horrific explosion which
killed at least 41 children on the imaginary attack of a "madman". It
was only after villagers pressed the government to acknowledge that
local school officials had been forcing students to produce fireworks
illegally to pay for their tuition that the government changed their
story.
Read the story - "It should have been just their classroom. Instead,
it became their grave." http://www.burnsfireworks.com/Disasters-5.htm
Also read "Child Labour Rampant in China's Fireworks Industry." Child
Labor News Service. (2002)
http://www.oneworld.net/article/country/156/360
* Scroll down and click on article title *
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After the 2001 explosion, the British National Campaign for Firework
Safety called for a "blanket ban on the import of all fireworks from
China until the European Commission President and the Health and
Safety Executive of the European Commission had visited China to
ensure proper health and safety measures in Chinese firework factories
and that no child labour is used in the production of fireworks."
As of September 2001, the China Labor Bulletin had seen no evidence of such visits.
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Safety issues within the fireworks industry have become increasingly
hard to ignore.
"In the space of only one week - from 28 July to 4 August 2003 - there
were four reported explosions in fireworks factories in various parts
of China leading to the death of at least 31 people."
"Although some factories pride themselves in producing high quality
fireworks conforming to international safety specifications for
export, little thought is often given to the safety of workers in the
factories. The situation of work safety in the fireworks industry
remains appalling and there are regular explosions which kill and maim
dozens of people. In addition, because a great deal of firework
production often involves child labour and takes place in the homes of
individual villagers, the accidents often also kill and maim children
who either live in the homes involved or work in the small workshops."
Though the implementation of safety inspections after serious
accidents serves to give the appearance that the government is trying
to improve the conditions within the fireworks industry, such measures
have merely served as a cover-up for serious violations.
"Indeed, the common policy adopted by most provinces and local
authorities of halting production after an accident, and then resuming
production after inspection shows few results. The method appears to
be facing up to the challenge of improving actual safety standards,
but in fact is often used as a short term measure to cover up
misconduct, or to contain misconduct or a specific problem in the
particular factory, which then allows for general production with the
same standards of safety to resume once the media spotlight has been
removed. Indeed, after such closure and rectification many
enterprises, driven by the exorbitant profits available, continue to
produce fireworks illegally which increases the problems of
supervision and management and paves the way for future accidents."
The above quotes are taken from "The China Labour Bulletin." September 11, 2003
http://www.china-labour.org.hk/iso/article.adp?article_id=4960
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The Chinese government may finally be stepping forth to take some
action. In January 2004, local authorities in Fengxiang County ordered
the closure of 2,180 fireworks factories for a series of safety
checks.
The State Council, China's highest governing body, also decided "to
immediately organize safety supervision groups to conduct strict
safety inspections across the country. The meeting, presided over by
Premier Wen Jiabao, called on governments at all levels to focus on
safety problems, saying the situation in work and transport is
extremely poor. The meeting decided to organize safety supervision
groups to inspect the implementation of safety measures, stressing
that more efforts should be made in coal mining, the chemical
industry, fireworks manufacturing, water and electricity supply and
the transport sector to prevent accidents."
Read "Fireworks factories shut for safety checks." People's Daily.
January 3, 2004. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200401/03/eng20040103_131760.shtml
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGE
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The China Labor Bulletin has set forth several excellent
recommendations to help push the Chinese Fireworks industry toward
creating a safer work environment. I have summarized these
recommendations below, but you can read about them in more detail in
the China Labor Bulletin.
1. No child labour in fireworks factories.
The Bulletin stresses that despite a host of laws which are already in
place to stop the employment of children in the fireworks industry,
the practice is increasing. Therefore, the government must make every
effort to enforce the existing laws.
"There is a pressing need for uniform and concrete enforcement of
existing legislation banning child labour under 16 and the use of
young adults in heavy or dangerous industries. This will include the
need for increased punishments for employers who break national
legislation. China already has adequate laws forbidding child labour
but these laws must be accompanied by adequate enforcement and
effective action."
The laws which currently exist include:
The Chinese Labour Law (with provisions addressing child labor)
The Law on the Protection of Women?s Rights and Interests
The Law on the Protection of Minors
Regulations on the Prohibition of Child Labour
The Notice on the Prohibition of Child Labour
China has also signed the ILO Minimum Age Convention and the U.N.
Convention on the Rights on the Child.
2. Government bodies which issue permits, including the Public
Security Department, must assume responsibility for accidents
revolving around issues of safety and proper procedure which occur in
enterprises to which they have issued permits.
3. The government should ensure that fireworks facilities take out
proper medical insurance for their employees. In cases where insurance
is not available to cover employee accidents, company staff should be
penalized, including imposing criminal charges, if necessary.
4. The production safety chain must be reviewed from the top levels
down to the bottom. Industry officials at all levels must be held
accountable for administrative and safety issues within the fireworks
industry to eliminate corruption at the local level.
5. The formation of a non-governmental, independent trade union which
encourages the involvement of workers could go a long way toward
remedying the terrible conditions within the fireworks industry. The
current "All China Federation of Trade Unions" is accountable to the
Communist Party, and does not provide workers fair representation.
6. The implementation of Villagers? Occupational Health and Safety
committees (VOC) for the fireworks industry could help to improve and
monitor the working conditions at a local level. VOC members could be
elected within their communities. Further, a coordinating committee
could included members from several levels, including government
officials, industry representatives and local village residents.
Read more in the "The China Labour Bulletin." September 11, 2003
http://www.china-labour.org.hk/iso/article.adp?article_id=4960
IHLO as a Voice for Change
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The Hong Kong Liaison Office of the International Trade Union movement
(IHLO) is also a voice for change in the Chinese fireworks industry.
The IHLO believes that the root of the problem lies not in the lack of
worker training or inefficient and corrupt management, but in the lack
of an independent trade union to represent fireworks industry workers.
"The root is the lack of an independent trade union with the capacity
to monitor production methods from the membership's point of view.
Only a democratic and participatory trade union can give workers the
confidence to get involved in safety issues and act as a check on the
unbridled pursuit of profit that is doing such damage to China's
industrial relations."
Read "Fireworks Tragedy Reinforces Case for Change." Worker and Trade
Union Rights in China. IHLO http://www.ihlo.org/item2/item2-49.htm
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Please see the letter the IHLO drafted to President Hu Jintao in
November 2003, calling for the establishment of safety committees and
the allowance of independent trade unions for workers in the fireworks
industry:
http://www.ihlo.org/item2/firework1.htm
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I hope you find this information helpful! If you need further
clarification, please don't hesitate to ask. I will be happy to help
if I can.
umiat
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