Respect Workers' Rights at CDN

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining are internationally recognized as basic rights of all working people, as set out in the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Declaration of Fundamental Rights at Work.

Since October 2000, the more than 150 workers at the Chinese Daily News in  Southern California have been seeking to exercise these basic rights by joining together to collectively bargain with their employer over their wages, hours and working conditions.

In conjunction with the Global Campaign for RESPECT for workers of the ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions), we urge the management of the Chinese Daily News and its parent company, the United Daily News Group of Taiwan, to RESPECT these internationally recognized rights:

Click on the Send a Message button below to ask executives at the Chinese Daily News to support these internationally recognized rights!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: RESPECT Chinese Daily News Workers

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining are internationally recognized as basic rights of all working people, as set out in the International Labor Organization's (ILO) Declaration of Fundamental Rights at Work.

Since October 2000, the more than 150 workers at the Chinese Daily News in Southern California have been seeking to exercise these basic rights by joining together to collectively bargain with their employer over their wages, hours and working conditions.

In conjunction with the Global Campaign for RESPECT for workers of the ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions), we urge the management of the Chinese Daily News and its parent company, the United Daily News Group of Taiwan, to RESPECT these internationally recognized rights:

* RESPECT the right of its workers to freedom of association, by maintaining a position of neutrality and non-interference on the issue of union representation and not engaging in "union-busting".

* RESPECT the labor laws of the United States, and refrain from harassment of, or retaliation against, union activists.

* RESPECT its employees' right to the collective bargaining process by negotiating in good faith with the workers and their representatives over wages, hours and working conditions.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 30, 2003


Background Information

The 150 employees of the Chinese Daily News write stories, take pictures, edit the stories, write headlines, sell advertising space and print and sell the paper with a circulation of over 100,000 copies.

The CWA was contacted by employees of the Chinese Daily News after a scheduled raise was rescinded and employees were forced to sign statements acknowledging that they could be fired at any time, even without giving the employee a reason. This contradicted the policy of the paper since it started.

These workers have fought since October 2000 for the right to have a union. Click here to go to CWA's website for more background on their struggle.