First published by CDPWU: In search of legal justice,
protect the unprivileged group
Request to NeiJiang City CPC, CPPCC regarding retirement pension:
& medical insurance of LongChang Coal Mine Workers & Families:
The coal mine of HongChang Xian, NeiJiang City belongs to nationally owned enterprise. In order to step up the development of social economy, the coal mine was approved by SiChuan Province Coal Mine Regulatory in the 1970s. Families of the former employees were recruited as staffs working at branch coal mine of HeiShiBao, TongXiYuan Coal Mine Processing, & YiHe dry bricks factory. They performed loading & transporting jobs in the coal mine underground in high heat & great working pressure with minimum pay. These workers had made great contributions to city’s economic development. Especially during the beginning stage of building the HeShiBao coal mine, many of the workers brought their own tools & foods worked under the leadership of CCP with no pay. They built the coal mine with their blood & tears. Their contributions are undeniable.
Former Coal Mine Worker Protest With Banner
"In search of legal justice, protect the unprivileged group"
After later 1980s, with the reform of employment system, the coal mine leaders issued a policy of forced retirement of all female workers over 45 years old. The forced retirement did not follow the “Labor Law” or The Temporary Regulation on retirees and employees forced to retire” issued by the State Department on May 24, 1978. The “Temporary Regulation” emphasizes the benefit of medical & pension for the retirees. Some workers were compensated for one hundred to a few hundred RMB, while others were sent home with nothing.
Maimed on the job, but no compensation paid
With the change after years, these workers are 50 to 60 years old now; some are even older as 70 or 80. These people were maimed or left with chronicle diseases from work, elder ones even died without seeing justice being served. In 2005 LongChang coal mine filed bankruptcy. This pushed the families of the former workers to an extremely difficult situation. Their minimum compensations or pensions of less than a hundred dollars barely cover their living cost. It is nothing compares to the consumer index & medical expense and their lives suffered.
Miserable life in cold & hunger after laid off
These workers have made their contribution to the “construction of socialism” for tens or even 20s of years. But they are compensated for nothing. No medical insurance, no pensions.
President Hu, JinTao & Premier Wen, JiaBao have claimed since their leadership that concerning the unprivileged groups & resolving their living problems is the key to maintain the stability of China. Premier Wen also made public speeches many times that “Governed by the law”, “Show concern to the unprivileged groups”, “Anti-corruption & punish the corrupted officials” are helpful to lead the social development to a healthy, stable, harmonic path. He expressed the decision of concerning people’s living condition and building a harmonic society.
As the unprivileged group, we urge the committees in NeiJiang City, & LongChang Xian to resolve the living problems of ours. We strongly demand responsible departments resolve our pension & medical benefit problems strictly according to the current laws and regulations. May our legal rights be protected by resolving the real issues!
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