HUNDREDS of workers sacked from a toy factory in China clashed with police and smashed buildings, authorities said yesterday, in the latest bout of violent unrest linked to rising unemployment.
The riot broke out Tuesday in Guangdong province, southern China's export heartland where similar protests have flared recently, after about 2,000 workers gathered to demand severance pay, according to the local government.
The workers smashed offices at the factory where they used to work and overturned police cars, with the violence leaving six people injured, the government of Zhongtang township where the unrest occurred said in a statement.
"(Rioters) smashed one police vehicle and four police patrol cars... fought with security guards... and entered factory offices, breaking windows and destroying equipment," the statement said.
The riot broke out at the Kaida Toy Factory, which is owned by a Hong Kong firm in Zhongtang that is in the process of laying off workers, the statement said.
A Zhongtang policeman with the surname Huang said that 19 people had been arrested.
"Our investigation is continuing as not all of these people were employees of the Kaida Toy Factory," Huang said, adding that the situation was calm yesterday and authorities were looking to ensure there was no more unrest.
The Zhongtang government said up to 500 workers were responsible for the riot, while 1,500 others "looked on ".
The factory has been operating for more than 20 years and employed up to 6,500 workers, according to the government statement.
One worker named Hu told the Guangzhou Daily the factory laid off over 380 workers on Wednesday last week, giving more severance pay to those who had been employed for more than seven years and less to others, it said.
"Many workers thought this was unfair and negotiations between the factory and the workers did not reach a resolution on the issue," the paper quoted Hu as saying, adding more job losses were expected this week. In a statement, Kader Group, owner of the factory, acknowledged the unrest stemmed from the severance pay issue but insisted the compensation was paid in accordance with China's law. "The company regrets this incident and reaffirms that its financial structure is sound."AFP
Angry workers: Factory workers overturning a police car during a protest outside Kaida toy factory in Dongguan, Guangdong province. Laid-off workers protested against their compensation in three Chinese provinces yesterday amid increasing factory closures and government concern about unrest.Picture: Reuters
Thursday, November 27, 2008
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