Category Archives: Texts

In this issue, we mainly look closely at inland provinces, i.e. [China’s] Midwest, but also to China’s relatively backward Northern coastal provinces where in the past few years the manufacturing industry has been developing at an increased pace. The majority of the workers in these provinces are locals, and among them are some workers with work experience in other regions, such as coastal industrial areas, who have returned to their hometowns for a range of reasons. Continue reading →

This worker’s story by Guishugan Zai Na was published in Factory Stories #6 (November 2012): I am from Sichuan. My family situation was not good because my father was ill all the time. After finishing school, I came to Shenzhen and started working for a Taiwanese electronics factory. I was hired just outside the factory gate. All the products were for export. Continue reading →

This worker’s story by Wan Jie was published in Factory Stories, #6 (November 2012): Continue reading →

This worker’s story by Lai Lai was published in Factory Stories, Factory Management (November 2014): “Because the warehouse has been running a lot better, the warehouse clerks in charge went to the boss to demand a pay rise. When they raised the matter, the boss frowned.” Continue reading →

This worker’s story by Lin Yi was published in Factory Stories, Factory Management (November 2014): “I returned to work three days after Lunar New Year, and at the meeting our department chief solemnly announced that production capacity would double this year, and since it looks like business will be better everybody will have to do more overtime.” Continue reading →

This worker’s story by Da Wei Yi Pai was published in Factory Stories #2 (March 2012): “After Chinese New Year, the media again started to hype the old topic of ‘labor shortages.’ Whatever they say, the story is still the same as a few years ago: First, the bosses are dissatisfied with the situation, they say that the rising costs have made business difficult and that they want a better deal from the government. Second, they say the workers have changed and do not want to work hard anymore. How much of that is actually true?” Continue reading →

This worker’s story by Wang Xiaolin was published in Factory Stories #5 (September 2012): “This article discusses another aspect of the workers’ misgivings: the state has been ignoring the workers interests for a long time, and the policies that are allegedly “to the benefit of the people” are capricious and – when implemented – deficient…” Continue reading →

This worker’s story by Wang Xiaolin was published in Factory Stories #4 (July 2012): “‘On the news they said that the retirement age will be will be raised, for men to 65, and for women to 60!’ Ah-Qin burst out to her colleague, Ah-Ling, as soon as she entered the office…” Continue reading →