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As China slashes coal jobs, miners protest in Party’s revolutionary base As China slashes coal jobs, miners protest in Party’s revolutionary base
(about 7 hours later)
BEIJING – The coal mines of Anyuan in southeastern China hold a special place in the history of the Chinese Communist Party. BEIJING – The coal mines of Anyuan in southeastern China hold a special place in the history of the Communist Party.
For it was here, nearly a century ago, that Mao Zedong and other intellectuals leading the brand new Communist Party made their first connection with ordinary workers, helping to unionize and mobilize them for what is known as the Great Strike of 1922. It was here, nearly a century ago, that Mao Zedong and other intellectuals leading the brand new Communist Party made their first connection with ordinary workers, helping to unionize and mobilize them for what is known as the Great Strike of 1922.
On Tuesday, though, hundreds of coal miners from Anyuan and nearby mines marched through the city of Pingxiang — to protest not on behalf of the Communist Party but against it. On Tuesday, though, hundreds of coal miners from Anyuan and nearby mines marched through the city of Pingxiang in a protest — not on behalf of the Communist Party, but against it.
China announced on Monday it expects to slash 1.8 million jobs in its coal and steel industries, roughly 15 percent of the total workforce, as it struggles to reduce overcapacity in its bloated mining and industrial sectors, amid a deepening economic slowdown China announced Monday that it expects to slash 1.8 million jobs in its coal and steel sectors, about 15 percent of the total workforce, as it struggles to reduce overcapacity in its bloated mining and industrial enterprises amid a deepening economic slowdown.
[Complacency, protectionism: Why China hasn't shut underused factories][Complacency, protectionism: Why China hasn't shut underused factories]
But the miners at Anyuan and Pingxiang are already hurting, as the local state-owned mining company has scaled back production, laid workers off and told other s to stay home, on dramatically reduced pay of just 470 yuan ($70) a month But the miners at Anyuan and Pingxiang are already hurting, because the local state-owned mining company has scaled back production, laid off workers and told others to stay home — on dramatically reduced pay of just 470 yuan ($70) a month.
Around 150 miners got together on Monday morning to complain to the company, gathering at a crossroads and temporarily blocking traffic, according to the Communist Party propaganda department of the Pingxiang Mining Group. About 150 miners got together on Monday morning to complain to the company, gathering at a crossroads and temporarily blocking traffic, according to the Communist Party propaganda department of the Pingxiang Mining Group.
Up to 1,000 workers from three mines marched Tuesday through the streets with banners saying: “Workers want to survive, workers need to eat,” according to social media posts and witnesses. Up to 1,000 workers from three mines marched Tuesday with banners that said, “Workers want to survive, workers need to eat,” according to social media posts and witnesses.
“How do you survive on 470 yuan?,” said one 30-year-old worker contacted by telephone, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals. “How do you survive on 470 yuan?” said one 30-year-old worker contacted by telephone who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
"My parents and grandparents worked at the mine. The workers built the mine with their hands. It is where Mao Zedong led the Great Strike and that's how the Communist Party rose — and now this?" “My parents and grandparents worked at the mine. The workers built the mine with their hands. It is where Mao Zedong led the Great Strike, and that’s how the Communist Party rose — and now this?”
There has been a dramatic rise in strikes and workers protests across China in the last six months, as the economic slowdown starts to bite. But the significance of those protests spreading to Anyuan won’t be lost on anyone steeped in the Communist Party’s founding stories and myths. There has been a dramatic increase in strikes and workers protests across China in the past six months, as the economic slowdown starts to bite. But the significance of those protests spreading to Anyuan will not be lost on anyone steeped in the Communist Party’s founding stories and myths.
[Strikes and workers’ protests multiply in China, testing party authority][Strikes and workers’ protests multiply in China, testing party authority]
In the years after the great strike of 1922, Anyuan became the center of the Party’s labor mobilization and was known as “China’s Little Moscow” for its revolutionary credentials. In the years after the 1922 strike, Anyuan became the center of the party’s labor mobilization and was known as “China’s Little Moscow” for its revolutionary credentials.
Former mine workers also joined peasants from nearby rural areas in the Autumn Harvest Uprising, a short-lived insurrection led by Mao in 1927. Former mine workers also joined peasants from nearby rural areas in the 1927 Autumn Harvest Uprising, a short-lived insurrection led by Mao.
A painting of a heroic-looking young Mao on his way to Anyuan became one of the most important images to be circulated during China’s Cultural Revolution, with an estimated 900 million copies printed.A painting of a heroic-looking young Mao on his way to Anyuan became one of the most important images to be circulated during China’s Cultural Revolution, with an estimated 900 million copies printed.
Ironically, part of the reason the painting was so widely circulated may have been to discredit Liu Shaoqi, a former close associate of Mao who actually played a much larger role in organizing workers in Anyuan. Liu was purged during the early years of the Cultural Revolution and died soon afterwards. Ironically, part of the reason the painting was so widely circulated may have been to discredit Liu Shaoqi, a former close associate of Mao’s who actually played a much larger role in organizing workers in Anyuan. Liu was purged during the early years of the Cultural Revolution and died soon afterward.
In 2002, a large statue of the young Mao was erected outside the mine to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the five-day strike, which involved 10,000 miners and another 4,000 to 5,000 railway workers. In 2002, a large statue of a young Mao was erected outside the mine to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the five-day strike, which involved 10,000 miners and 4,000 to 5,000 railway workers.
Miners contacted by telephone on Tuesday said the mines had been in trouble for years. One said his salary was only a little over 1,000 yuan before the latest shutdown. Another said the company had told him to take three year’s leave to do some business of his own. Miners contacted by telephone on Tuesday said the mines had been in trouble for years. One said his salary was only a little over 1,000 yuan before the latest shutdown. Another said the company had told him to take three years’ leave to do some business of his own.
But the situation came to a head when the company ordered the mines completely closed during the recent Spring Festival, workers said. The company then ordered production to remain shuttered at some mines in March, during a two-week period when top Communist Party officials gather in Beijing for twin plenary meetings known as the “Two Sessions.” But the situation came to a head when the company ordered the mines completely closed during the recent Spring Festival, workers said. The company also had ordered production to remain shuttered at some mines in March, during a two-week period when top Communist Party officials gather in Beijing for twin plenary meetings known as the “Two Sessions.”
Workers said the company had told them the mines would remain closed because work safety requirements had been tightened during this period: presumably to avoid any embarrassing headlines about mining accidents during such an important gathering. Workers said the company had told them that the mines would remain closed because work safety requirements had been tightened during this period: presumably to avoid any embarrassing headlines about mining accidents during such an important gathering.
China’s Minister for Human Resources and Social Security, Yin Weimin, told a news conference Monday that 1.3 million coal workers and 500,000 steel workers could lose their jobs, news agencies reported. The government has set aside 100 billion yuan ($15.3 billion) over two years to relocate these and other laid-off workers. China’s minister for human resources and social security, Yin Weimin, said at a news conference on Monday that 1.3 million coal workers and 500,000 steel workers could lose their jobs. The government has set aside 100 billion yuan ($15.3 billion) over two years to relocate these and other laid-off workers.
“The economy faces relatively big downward pressures and some firms face difficulties in production and operation, which would lead to insufficient employment,” Yin said. “The economy faces relatively big downward pressures, and some firms face difficulties in production and operation, which would lead to insufficient employment,” Yin said.
On Tuesday, mine workers in Pingxiang said the company had told them to wait 10 days for an answer to their complaints.On Tuesday, mine workers in Pingxiang said the company had told them to wait 10 days for an answer to their complaints.
Xu Yangjingjing contributed to this report.Xu Yangjingjing contributed to this report.