7/10 Rally at Chinese Consulate for Jailed Unionists

RALLY SPEAKERS:
* Jeff Adachi, S.F. Public Defender-Elect
* Medea Benjamin, Founding Director, Global Exchange
* Lion Chow, SEIU Local 250*
* Christian Heath, Coordinator, California Fair Trade campaign
* Jane Kelly, Director, California Office, Public Citizen
* Walter Johnson, Sec.-Treas., San Francisco Labor Council (AFL-CIO)
* Richard Ow, Member, S.F. County Democratic Central Committee
* Ed Rosario, Co-coordinator, OWC Continuations Committee, GCIU 4-N
* Ralph Schoenman, Producer, "Taking Aim" (WBAI-FM)
* Patti Tamura, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), SEIU 790*

Tens of thousands of workers in Daqin and Liaoyang, China, have mobilized in rallies, sit-ins and other actions in response to the mass layoffs announced by the Chinese government in the wake of China's official entry into the WTO.

Five unionists in Liaoyang were elected by the workers to negotiate with the authorities, and then promptly arrested by the authorities and charged with "organizing illegal demonstrations." They are currently awaiting trial.

This action at the Chinese Consulate is part of an International Day of Action to Free the Liaoyang 5, called by the China Labour Bulletin, the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), the International Liaison Committee for a Workers' International (ILC), and the Open World Conference Continuations Committee -- which includes the San Francisco Labor Council. The campaign to free the Liaoyang 5 has been endorsed by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the International Metalworkers Federation, among countless others.

Due to China's accession to the WTO and the increasing number of sweatshops moving from Mexico to China, there is increasing pressure to maintain and further escalate the exploitation of the Chinese workers, privatize state enterprises, and dismantle of all systems of social protection in China. For more information regarding this important struggle, please go to http://www.owcinfo.org/campaign/Chineseworkers.htm .

Please join us in conveying our solidarity with the Chinese workers who are struggling for their rights.

"An Injury to One is An Injury to All"

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{For more information, contact Krista Husar, OWC China Labor Rights campaign coordinator, at 415-641-8616.)