VTMBH Article: Body
Because their employers did not pay the health insurance fee to the union on time, about a thousand garment workers from a dozen Chinatown garment firms lost their guaranteed health insurance from the union yesterday.
The garment workers union staged an alternative strike, by organizing frequent meetings during working hours, to pressure factory owners to sign a contract requiring them to pay workers health insurance fees. To fight back, the factory owners threatened to close the factories. The victims of the stalemate are the one thousand of workers who want to keep their health insurance, as well as their job. These days, more and more workers are asking about government health care.
A female worker went for a thorough physical examination at Local 23-25 Unites mid-Manhattan health center yesterday. After the basic check-up, the doctor asked her to come back later for a further exam. The worker knew she couldnt because her union health insurance would be cut off by the end of that day.
Like this female worker, many garment workers rushed to the clinics yesterday to use their health insurance for the last time. However, one days check-up cannot guarantee a lifetimes worth of health. The workers worried about where they would get the money to visit a doctor in the future.
The union said there were still a dozen firms that hadnt signed the contract, which requires that factory owners pay a $115 health insurance fee for each of their workers to the union. And some other firms that did sign, havent paid one cent since July of this year. The union said it would distribute a list of the firms which had paid the money to the manufacturers, and ask them to process orders only from those on the list.
Mae Chan, associate director of Local 23-15 Unite, said the union thought about a formal strike last week. But during the last several days, more firms signed the contract or paid the money. It did not seem necessary to organize a formal strike. But the union said it would continue to organize meetings during working hours in those firms that hadnt signed or paid yet. This is another type of strike, Chan said.
Teddy Lai, executive manager of Greater Blouse, Skirt & Undergarment Association, Inc., said yesterday that although factory owners cannot fire workers because of their participation in a strike, the strike may cause the closure of factories. And, it would be hard for garment workers of those closed firms to find a new job in the current economic situation.
Qingkun Cheng, a garment factory owner, said, when the industry was in its heyday, it was the manufacturer who paid for the workers health insurance. Now that the industry is in a downturn, the ball was thrown to the factory owners. According to Cheng, $115 per worker was a big burden for the ownersand he believed the price would continue to increase.
An owner, who only identified himself as Mr. Chen, said that the union shouldnt cut the workers health insurance under any circumstances. But Mr. Chen said that he hasnt signed the contract yet because he would have to pay the health insurance fee for his 40 workers, which is more than four thousand dollars per month. If I sign the contract, the only thing I could do next is to close the factory, he said.
The owner of the factory at 80 Walker Street recently signed the contract, but he said its only to avoid an immediate strike. He estimates that most of the firms which have signed the contract will survive, at most, for a few months. The garment industry will face a more severe situation when more firms close.
The union will assist the workers who lost their health insurance to buy COBRA insurance. But compared to the garment workers meager salary, the insurance fees of $181 per month for single person, and $450 for a family, are likely to be too much.
A female worker, who identified herself as Ms. Leung, said that since the union cannot guarantee health insurance, it is meaningless to join. People who are familiar with the industry said that because the union cannot provide unionized firms as much manufacture orders as they did, some unionized firms may have to close and reopen as a non-unionized firm. And the unionized workers will lose their jobs during the shuffle.
The garment workers union staged an alternative strike, by organizing frequent meetings during working hours, to pressure factory owners to sign a contract requiring them to pay workers health insurance fees. To fight back, the factory owners threatened to close the factories. The victims of the stalemate are the one thousand of workers who want to keep their health insurance, as well as their job. These days, more and more workers are asking about government health care.
A female worker went for a thorough physical examination at Local 23-25 Unites mid-Manhattan health center yesterday. After the basic check-up, the doctor asked her to come back later for a further exam. The worker knew she couldnt because her union health insurance would be cut off by the end of that day.
Like this female worker, many garment workers rushed to the clinics yesterday to use their health insurance for the last time. However, one days check-up cannot guarantee a lifetimes worth of health. The workers worried about where they would get the money to visit a doctor in the future.
The union said there were still a dozen firms that hadnt signed the contract, which requires that factory owners pay a $115 health insurance fee for each of their workers to the union. And some other firms that did sign, havent paid one cent since July of this year. The union said it would distribute a list of the firms which had paid the money to the manufacturers, and ask them to process orders only from those on the list.
Mae Chan, associate director of Local 23-15 Unite, said the union thought about a formal strike last week. But during the last several days, more firms signed the contract or paid the money. It did not seem necessary to organize a formal strike. But the union said it would continue to organize meetings during working hours in those firms that hadnt signed or paid yet. This is another type of strike, Chan said.
Teddy Lai, executive manager of Greater Blouse, Skirt & Undergarment Association, Inc., said yesterday that although factory owners cannot fire workers because of their participation in a strike, the strike may cause the closure of factories. And, it would be hard for garment workers of those closed firms to find a new job in the current economic situation.
Qingkun Cheng, a garment factory owner, said, when the industry was in its heyday, it was the manufacturer who paid for the workers health insurance. Now that the industry is in a downturn, the ball was thrown to the factory owners. According to Cheng, $115 per worker was a big burden for the ownersand he believed the price would continue to increase.
An owner, who only identified himself as Mr. Chen, said that the union shouldnt cut the workers health insurance under any circumstances. But Mr. Chen said that he hasnt signed the contract yet because he would have to pay the health insurance fee for his 40 workers, which is more than four thousand dollars per month. If I sign the contract, the only thing I could do next is to close the factory, he said.
The owner of the factory at 80 Walker Street recently signed the contract, but he said its only to avoid an immediate strike. He estimates that most of the firms which have signed the contract will survive, at most, for a few months. The garment industry will face a more severe situation when more firms close.
The union will assist the workers who lost their health insurance to buy COBRA insurance. But compared to the garment workers meager salary, the insurance fees of $181 per month for single person, and $450 for a family, are likely to be too much.
A female worker, who identified herself as Ms. Leung, said that since the union cannot guarantee health insurance, it is meaningless to join. People who are familiar with the industry said that because the union cannot provide unionized firms as much manufacture orders as they did, some unionized firms may have to close and reopen as a non-unionized firm. And the unionized workers will lose their jobs during the shuffle.