Report from the “China-Africa Trade Unions High-Level Seminar”
“Build harmonious labour relations between Chinese and African enterprises, encourage enterprises to undertake more social responsibility, not only protecting workers’ rights, but also contributing to the development of China-Africa’s economy and long lasting friendship”. Deliberations from the China-Africa Trade Unions High-Level Seminar held in Beijing, “Multi-National Corporations Labour Relations and the Role of Trade Unions” report that Chinese and African trade union leaders, as well as experts jointly suggested that Chinese enterprises “going out” should turn into a “positive energy” for China-Africa development.
China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for the fifth consecutive year. In 2013 China-Africa trade volume reached USD 201.2 billion. The 2013 white paper “China-Africa Economic Cooperation” revealed that there are more than 2000 Chinese companies investing in more than 50 African countries and regions covering industries such as: agriculture, mining, construction, natural resources and products deep processing, industrial manufacturing, finance, trade and logistics, real estate and other fields. Chinese enterprises have already become a driving force of Africa’s economic development.
Ghana’s Trade Union Congress’ Chairman Yeboah expressed his insights: “Africa has been subjected to colonial domination, those countries only craved for our workforce and natural resources, and did not care about the environment or development. But Chinese investors are completely different. Chinese enterprises help us develop the economy, solve employment problems, improve living conditions. Whatever the Chinese do has a lot of value”.
African trade union leaders observe that Chinese companies invest in Africa in different sectors “like honey bees”, while they promote enterprise development they also become “sowers” of employment, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Like Huawei, while building fast, reliable and affordable broadband services for African people, by donating a laboratory, offering local university students free IT training and other initiatives, it helps Africa cultivate high-tech talents.
Three trade union leaders from Zambia showed appreciation for China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group’s practices of environmental protection as well as safeguard of workers’ rights and interests. The company not only abides by the commitment of “green development”, but also achieved, in 17 companies, the quota of over 85% of local employees, the provision of fitness facilities, subsidized housing, free medical care and other benefits for workers.
Many Chinese companies entering Africa also broadened the career development scenario for workers. The China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited, by cooperating with African education and training organizations, provides local workers with long-term skills development; China Sinohydro Corporation Limited’s footprint is spread across 40 African countries, the equivalent of 3/4 of Africa, it trained large numbers of operators to use large scale machines and workers with special technical skills.
These efforts provided important support for the enhancement of African personnel technical skills. But Sino-Africa labour relations expert also noted that Chinese companies in Africa are facing “growing pains”, including the challenges brought about by labour relations disputes.
How to build harmonious labour relations in Africa? How to promote Sino-African economic and sustainable development? How to go about so that both workers and businesses win? More than 70 delegates striving to take the floor, raised their thoughts and suggestions.
“The development direction is that Chinese enterprises become “corporate citizens” in the local community”; “safeguarding workers’ rights and interests and promoting enterprise development is equally important, we need to establish the concept of workers and businesses standing together in times of need and advancing together”; “achieving the localization of human resource management will be conducive to harmonious labour relations”; “dialogue and cooperation is the best way, such as the establishment of a network platform for sharing information”; “we hope that Chinese labour unions introduce in Africa the development of collective bargaining, protection of workers’ health and safety, provision of legal assistance and other practices”.
“We should pay more attention to the role of trade unions, in particular through the strengthening of Sino-African trade unions’ cooperation and exchanges and by improving Sino-African labour relations coordination system”. African trade unions’ leaders believe that this seminar is a completely new attempt to establish a Sino-African communication mechanism, a breakthrough with the traditional model, and has a broader social dimension. Participants did not only come from trade unions, the government, employers and academics, but also from different international, regional, national and grassroots levels. The seminar created an inclusive platform, so that all parties have an equal opportunity to make their voice heard, express opinions and questions, and, seek more common understanding while exchanging ideas.
After two days of “brainstorming”, one opinion became stronger among Chinese and African labour union organizations, and in the hearts of Chinese enterprises and African labour union leaders: there exist differences between Chinese and Africa cultures, thinking and habits but regardless of whether it is an enterprise or a labour union, the objective is in common: safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of workers, improving the workers quality of life, promoting local economic development and achieving people’s happiness. China and Africa share a common destiny, they are brothers leaning on each other, and only by continuing to trust each other and help each other, and by increasing communication and understanding, then for sure they can join hands to create a better future.
(Workers Network reporters Zheng Li, Zhang Rui. Workers Network, Beijing 16th May)
Editor Guo Lijuan
在非中资企业当成中非发展“正能量”
——来自“中国·非洲工会高级研讨会”的报道
“构建在非中资企业的和谐劳动关系，推动企业承担更多社会责任，不仅有利于劳动者权益的保护，更将助力中非经济和友谊的持久发展。”正在北京举行的“跨国企业劳动关系及工会作用”——中国·非洲工会高级研讨会上，来自中国和非洲工会组织的领导人及专家学者共同倡议：“走出去”的中国企业应成为中非发展“正能量”。
中国已连续5年成为非洲第一大贸易伙伴国。2013年，中非贸易额达到2012亿美元。《中国与非洲的经贸合作（2013）》白皮书显示，有超过2000家中国企业在非洲50多个国家和地区投资兴业，涵盖农业、采矿、建筑、资源产品深加工、工业制造、金融、商贸物流、地产等领域。中资企业已经成为非洲经济发展的重要动力。
加纳工会大会主席耶博阿对此深有体会：“非洲曾经遭受殖民统治，那些国家只热衷使用我们的劳动力和原材料，对环境和发展漠不关心。而中国的投资者却完全不同。中国企业帮助我们发展经济，解决劳工就业，改善生活环境。中国人民所做的一切，都是很有价值的。”
非洲工会领导人们看到，中国企业在非投资兴业，“就像蜜蜂采蜜”，在促进企业发展的同时，也成为就业、知识、技术、能力的“播种者”。如华为公司，在为非洲民众建起快速可靠且支付得起的宽带服务的同时，通过捐赠实验室，为当地大学生提供免费IT培训等方式，帮助非洲培养高科技人才。
来自赞比亚的三位工会领导人则对中国有色集团保护环境、维护工人权益的做法赞赏有加。该企业不仅恪守“绿色发展”的承诺，更实现了在非17家企业中，当地员工比例超过85%，并为员工提供健身设施、住房补贴、免费医疗等福利。
许多走进非洲的中资企业还为劳动者拓宽了职业发展舞台。中国建筑股份有限公司通过与非洲教育培训组织合作，为当地员工提供长期技能培训；中国水电建设集团的足迹遍布非洲近40个国家，相当于3/4个非洲，培养了大批大型机械设备操作手和具备施工特种技术的工人。这些努力，为非洲人才技术技能提升提供了重要支持。
不过，中非劳动关系研究专家也注意到，中资企业在非洲正面对“成长的烦恼”，其中就包括劳动关系矛盾带来的挑战。
如何构建中非劳动关系和谐？怎样推动中非经济可持续发展？通向劳动者与企业共赢的途径怎么走？70余位与会代表争相发言，提出自己的思考和建议。
“中资企业成为融入当地社区的‘企业公民’是发展方向”；“维护员工权益与促进企业发展同样重要，应树立员工与企业患难与共、共同发展的理念”；“实现企业人力资源本土化管理将有利于劳动关系和谐”；“对话、合作是最好的方式，如建立一个网络平台，共享信息”；“希望把中国工会开展集体协商、保护工人劳动安全卫生、提供法律援助等经验介绍到非洲”……
“我们应更重视工会的作用，特别是通过加强中非工会合作与交流，完善中非劳动关系协调体系。”远道而来的非洲工会领导人认为，此次研讨会是建立中非沟通交流机制的一次全新尝试，突破了传统模式，具有更宽广的社会维度，与会者不仅来自工会、政府、雇主和学者，而且覆盖了国际、区域、国家和基层等不同层面，打造了一个包容性的平台，让各方有均等的机会发出自己的声音，表达见解和疑问，在交换意见中谋求更多共识。
经过两天的“头脑风暴”，一个理念在中非工会组织之间，在中资企业与非洲工会领导人心中愈发强烈：中非在文化传统、思维习惯等方面存在差异，但无论是企业还是工会，维护工人合法权益，提高工人生活质量，推动当地经济发展，实现民众福祉的目标是一致的。“中非是命运共同体，是相互倚重的兄弟，只要坚持互信互助，加强理解沟通，就一定会携手共创更加美好的未来。”
（中工网记者 郑莉 张锐 中工网北京5月16日电）
编辑：郭丽娟
