In Huizhou City, Boluo County, Longxi Town, Guangdong Province, the Taiwanese-owned enterprise “Longyu Footwear” recently experienced a worker strike. Workers accused the management of long-standing wage arrears, leading to hundreds of employees collectively going on strike to demand their unpaid wages. They marched to the Longxi Town government office, calling for government intervention to safeguard their rights.
On the morning of September 16, due to delayed wage payments, Longyu Footwear faced strong dissatisfaction among its employees. A large number of workers gathered both inside and outside the factory, halting all production activities. As tensions escalated, the workers decided to march collectively to the Longxi Town government office, hoping that a public demonstration would pressure the management and local government to address the wage arrears issue.
A video posted by a netizen showed over a hundred workers crowded in the company’s meeting room, engaging in disputes with company staff. The crowd in the hallways and at the entrance grew larger. Additionally, in front of the company’s headquarters, there were hundreds of workers demanding payment, with the majority being female workers.
On the evening of September 18, a female worker surnamed Zhao from Hunan told reporters that they had collectively sought assistance from the Longxi Town government: “We have been owed wages for a long time. Two days ago, we went to the Longxi Town government office to seek justice, but they said they couldn’t handle it and told us to go to the county labor and social security department.”
Longyu Footwear, a subsidiary of Taiwan’s Longdian Group, is located in the Golden Triangle of Longxi Town, Boluo County, Huizhou. The company mainly undertakes orders for sports and casual shoes from European, American, and Middle Eastern markets and serves as a contract manufacturer for international brands like Nike. In recent years, due to a sluggish global market and rising costs, the company has repeatedly delayed wage payments, with this strike seen as the culmination of long-standing conflicts.
On September 19, when reporters called Longyu Footwear’s Human Resources Office to inquire about the wage arrears, the person who answered hung up upon learning of the reporter’s intention.
Mr. Wang, familiar with the factory situation, revealed that in the past two years, due to declining global market demand and increasing cost pressures, the company’s operations have become increasingly difficult, resulting in delayed wage payments. This large-scale strike is the culmination of years of conflicts. “Most of the workers here are migrant workers from other regions, and wages are their sole source of livelihood. Wage arrears not only affect their daily lives but also involve children’s tuition fees, elderly healthcare, causing a significant impact on the workers’ families.” He added that the factory had experienced several strikes before.
Mr. Chen, a Guangdong rights activist focusing on labor disputes, mentioned that the price of labor rights advocacy in China is high: “Leading advocates may be detained or even sentenced, while collective advocacy makes it difficult for the police to identify the so-called leaders. The situation of shoe factory workers demanding wages is not uncommon in the Pearl River Delta region. When many businesses face operational difficulties, they first choose to delay wage payments, or even relocate without compensating departing workers. However, these actions violate labor laws, leaving workers with no choice but to resort to collective advocacy.”
Mr. Liu, a labor lawyer in Guangzhou, stated: “According to the Labor Contract Law, companies should pay wages promptly and in full, and wage arrears constitute illegal behavior. Workers can report to the labor supervision department or apply for labor arbitration. In cases of significant arrears, it may even involve criminal liability.”
Following the Longyu Footwear worker strike, some worker representatives engaged in dialogues with government officials at the town office. It is currently unclear whether there is a concrete solution in place, and the local government has not issued a formal statement.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions in the grassroots labor relations of China’s manufacturing industry. Some experts believe that if authorities do not address wage arrears promptly, it may further erode workers’ trust in companies and escalate into larger-scale labor disputes.
On social media platforms, the related videos and news have sparked widespread discussion. Some netizens express sympathy for the workers’ plight, commenting, “It’s unfair not to receive wages after working hard for a year.” Others criticize the chaotic management of the company, stating, “No matter how challenging the business is, wages should not be used as a stumbling block.” Many comments lament the weak rights of mainland Chinese laborers, saying, “For workers, labor rights are like a fantasy.”
It is worth noting that as early as December 15th and 18th, 2023, Longyu Footwear factory saw several hundred workers go on strike due to compensation issues related to relocation. Longyu and its sister factory, Longfa, have a total of up to 7,500 employees. Longfa has already closed its Huizhou factory and relocated to Dongguan.