[NV Greens] FW: workers rights, and playing cards

[charleslaws at att.net]

-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: Craig in China <craigtrevor at yahoo.com>
To: GreenParty of NV <info at nevadagreenparty.org>
Subject: workers rights, and playing cards
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 07:06:22 +0000
>      This interesting news from southern China, 
>   has me thinking that Greens in the U.S. can use innovative ways like this to 
> get Green information out to Mr. and Mrs. Public 
>      ...Voting rights, OSHA rules,  the Patriot Act, marriage rights,  The Ten 
> Key Values,  elected (G) officials, 
>    ... and the media isn't limited to playing cards, of course - see footnote**  
>    
>     C'mon Green machine, get creative, and get patents!  
>    
>    
>   "A card up the sleeve for migrants workers in China "
> 
> A US non-governmental organization is using an innovative method to publicize 
> workers rights in China: playing cards. 
> 
> The cards contain simple messages in Mandarin of labor laws and rights and are 
> to be distributed to hundreds of millions of migrant workers facing such 
> problems as low wages, inadequate compensation for overtime work and injuries at 
> the workplace. 
> 
> The San Francisco-based Asia Foundation devised the deck of cards in 
> collaboration with the labor bureau in Anhui province in southern China. 
> 
> Migrants workers from the Chinese villages flocking to cities in search of jobs 
> have little time or are in no mood to pore over thick labor law manuals and 
> could find the messages on the playing cards simple to understand, foundation 
> officials said. 
> 
> About 40,000 decks of these Anglo-American looking cards with the traditional 
> Hearts, Spades, Diamonds and Clubs at the edges have been printed so far, and 
> being distributed to workers leaving bus and train terminals in Anhui, a key 
> provincial source of migrant workers. 
> "This project is something that is both interesting and creative but also has a 
> real substantive message," said Nancy Yuan, The Asia Foundation's 
> Washington-based vice-president. 
> 
> "To pass the time during the long journey from remote areas to job sites, these 
> workers are not going to sit and read books and pursue more intellectual 
> pursuits. They play card games on buses and trains. They also play while waiting 
> in lines for job assignments or in dormitories," she said. 
> 
> Every year, there are about 120 million migrant workers going to Chinese cities 
> in search for jobs, Yuan said. Some 300 million more are expected to join the 
> work force in the coming years, she added. 
> 
> Bad working conditions and work-related injuries are among the common problems 
> faced by the workers. Compounding the problem is a notion that some Chinese 
> labour laws and regulations are vague, inconsistent and not enforceable. 
> 
> In 2003 and 2004, there were more than 800,000 work-related accidents with over 
> 135,000 deaths in China with 80 percent of the victims migrant workers, 
> according to official statistics. 
> 
> By closely understanding the messages on the playing cards, such mishaps can be 
> averted, officials said. They would also remind the migrant workers of their 
> responsibilities as well as those of their employers to ensure labor harmony. 
> 
> Other Chinese cities plan to emulate the Anhui card project to help 
> disadvantaged workers, including migrant workers. 
> 
> The playing cards add to the foundation's program of songs and cartoon books to 
> explain labor laws and rights to migrant workers in Yunnan province, also in 
> southern China. 
> 
> The lyrics of the songs are laced with warnings of forced labor while 
> emphasizing the need to ensure adequate wages, equal right to employment, 
> occupational safety and evidence of legal employment. 
> 
> The Asia Foundation's collaboration with the Chinese provincial authorities is 
> under a maiden labour law cooperation project launched in 2003 by the United 
> States and China. 
> 
> The foundation, which has been involved in projects in various fields in China 
> since 1979, also has innovative programs in other Asian countries -- Indonesia, 
> Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Philippines -- to communicate messages on 
> citizenship, voting, legal rights and gender issues.
>    
>   
>   **
>   more ideas, U.S. Greens take note ... 
>   .... inserted scrolling study text messages in CounterStrike and other popular 
> compter game software.
>   ... "Mute me in class" startup screens on cell.phones. 
>   ... printed cartoons on toilet paper showing children washing hands before 
> eating.
>   ...paper money with country history lessons rather than just famous busts.
>   ... Stamped "recycle me" on wooden chopsticks.
> 
> 
> 		
> ---------------------------------
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Subject: workers rights, and playing cards
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