China's laborers are starting to ask for better wages and working conditions. Any lesson for conservatives?

[dasco]

So now it appears that, after years of low pay, long hours, and terrible working conditions, Chinese workers are starting to rebel against the factory owners. They are demanding better pay and conditions, and in many cases, they are seeking to form independent unions.

It's my understanding that conservatives generally (1) don't believe in a minimum wage, (2) don't believe in government-imposed regulations on worker safety or hours, and (3) don't believe in labor unions. They believe that the free market will take care of most problems between workers and management, if only it was allowed to do so.

Ironically, the purportedly communist Chinese government actually regulates factory labor LESS than the United States does. There are FEWER safety rules. Workers have FEWER rights. They work longer hours, have fewer vacations, have no rights such as we have under Title VII or the ADA, they have no workers' compensation if injured on the job, and no unemployment benefits--all federal government programs that we have here in the United States

So what is the result of the lack of regulation by the Chinese government? UNIONS.

Is there any lesson there for conservatives of the type I've described above? Could it be that government regulation of the workplace actually PREVENTS unionization of the workforce?

[shaddoc98]

Wow...the way you managed to draw correlations between a bunch of unrelated facts to reach a conclusion you had already drawn, is stunning.

It's not government regulation that prevents unionization, it's tyranny that does. In China, the workers can complain all they want. They will be rounded up in due time, and the 'problem' will be solved.
Everyone knows the minimum wage exists, but only Conservatives understand the negative impact it has on business. Higher costs make you non-competitive.
The Chinese government is not 'purportedly communist', they are communist.
According to Amnesty International, China has one of the highest levels of domestic political prisoners in the world. Most of these are free trade union organizers.
China also executes more political prisoners than most other countries. Most of these people were political prisoners too.
Nothing is free in China. Not speech, movement, choice of jobs, nothing.
China also have virtually no unemployment, and higher productivity.
The real difference, is between being freely unemployed, or enslaved by your own government.

[kirklin]

Unions are a part of the free market; it is how the labor market responds to conditions. No one ever said that labor unions are against free market principles. The market does take care of itself.

You should also take note that whenever they strike or demand better pay or perks, they get laid off and a large crowd of people takes their place.

[darrick34]

Please ask why Bill Clinton signed NAFTA which caused many U.S. companies to go there for cheap labor. While your statement has some truth as most Republicans don't bend over backwards for unions, the Democrats are not what you are making them out to be.

Please look into all of the facts instead of a one sided liberal Democrat way of things.

[choviohoya]

You either do not understand the conservative position or are intentionally misrepresenting it. However since you brought it up, the Chinese Government is made up of Obama style Marxists. So you are showing it as the antithesis of a free government. So thanks for making our point.

[curney13]

USA Workers are the highest paid in the world

USA Workers (other than Union employees) are also the most productive in the world.

What is your point? There as a time and place for Unions. This time and place is long gone.

[cumhea]

The answer to this is easy, Chinese workers do not work under a free market system. The government controls every aspect of their lives. Their fortunes would rise if conservative, free market forces were at work there.

[reid]

The answer to this is easy, Chinese workers do not work under a free market system. The government controls every aspect of their lives. Their fortunes would rise if conservative, free market forces were at work there.

wages and working conditions in China are more than likely dictated by the communist government there. Maybe it should be a lesson for liberals.

[ned]

It was only a matter of time before this happened.

The lesson is that workers are the backbone of the USA, and they should be able to live comfortably like they did in the 50s.

[teyrnon72]

The lesson from here (which stupid liberals would never understand) that wages in China rapidly raise, exactly because the government does not regulate labor markets.