Free trade, imprisoned workers

While workers in China continue to be arrested and imprisoned for organizing strikes and protests, big business in Switzerland has successfully lobbied for a free trade agreement (FTA) between Switzerland and China, approved without modifications by the Lower Chamber of the Swiss Parliament. The FTA has been swiftly condemned by the Geneva Community Trade Union Action (CGAS) and Hong Kong based Labour Action China (LAC) as a threat to Swiss democracy and a further setback in the struggle for the observance of universal human rights in China. These workers’ organizations call on Swiss and Chinese companies taking advantage of the FTA to respect trade union rights and they will regularly inform populations in both countries of the state of human rights for employees of Swiss and Chinese multinationals. You can read more in French here