Precarious Working Conditions: African Workers of Chinese Companies In Africa.
Journal Title: IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science - Year 2018, Vol 23, Issue 10
Abstract
Recently, a huge number of Chinese large state-owned enterprises, private owned enterprises and small-to-medium-sized companies are moving to invest in Africa. Reports say China is now Africa’s largest trading partner. Also, Africa has become China’s major importer, the second largest overseas project contracting market and the fourth largest investment destination. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce of China, from 2009 to 2012, China’s direct investment in Africa increased from $1.44 billion to $2.52 billion, with an average annual increase of 20.5% and the stock increased 1.3 times from $9.33 billion to $21.23 billion. The growing presence of Chinese enterprises in Africa has attracted public attention to their employment practices. Critics especially the Western and US social media blame Chinese Foreign Investment Enterprises (FIEs) and Foreign Development Investment(FDI) for hiring a low percentage local workers,( because they import their work force and material from china), for not providing standard working contracts for the few local workers they hire, for paying low wages, having precarious working conditions, and providing little or no training to African workers, for not building permanent and long term enterprises that can develop African, for poor dormitory living conditions and facilities. Addressing these issues, this article with the aid of material from authors like Prof. Ching Kwan Lee, Prof Tang Xiaoyang, Katy Ngan, and Prof Pun Ngai will first examine how Chinese companies’ carry out employment practices in Africa and how they treat workers without sufficient knowledge of local labor laws. This article will also try to explain reasons for no contracts and precarious Labour and also try to seek some measure that Chinese can use to make work in Chinese companies in Africa less precarious. Barriers like, the difference in language, culture, religion and values contribute to the misunderstanding between the Chinese employers and local employees. Types of precarious labor conditions include cases of low salary below the minimum wage standards and unfair termination, lack of holidays, no housing and at times poor housing conditions, lack of work insurance, lack of medical care and other benefits.
Authors and Affiliations
Muffuh Mildred Veunyeh
Keywords
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- EP ID EP421666
- DOI 10.9790/0837-2310086267
- Views 89
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