30.09.2009
Ivo in China: Yangzhou
Our verification coordinator Ivo Spauwen is in China, sitting in on some audits and meeting our local partners and stakeholders. He regularly keeps us informed of his progress…
30 September, Yangzhou, China
Hello everyone,
A quick update before hopping on the bus to Hangzhou.
In Yangzhou, I observed an audit in quite a big and well organized factory. We found that the most problematic areas are FoA, wages and hours of work, which is more or less typical for Chinese factories. All findings surfaced easy today from all of the information sources the audit team is supposed to assess. Interestingly management directly, which means during the opening meeting, admitted that their factory did not comply with our Code/ Chinese labour law on the above issues and that records had been falsified. Something I haven't seen often yet!
Yesterday we had the 2nd audit day. The exit discussion went smooth. The audit team ensured that members of the factory trade union attended. Management was very receptive to the findings of the audit team and admitted that wages and hours of work were not always up to standards. Management was happy to hear that FWF believes that both the buyer and supplier have a shared responsibility in tackling such problems.
After the audit I took the bus to Nanjing. Here I met with a guy who runs a buying office in Nanjing. He works for several big Dutch retailers and for a FWF affiliate. We discussed his approach in working with his suppliers and how the FWF approach on management and worker training could be of added value for his contacts with suppliers.
Yesterday night I visited the Ming city walls of Nanjing.
In one hour I’ll take the bus to Hangzhou where I’ll meet Xu Xiaohong, an academic with an interest in worker representation. He is also a resource person on the ACFTU, the Chinese state-led union. Our audit team supervisor Billy Hung will translate. After this meeting I’ll take a plane to Beijing.
Hope to talk to you all tomorrow.
Ivo
