Last month, riots broke out in response to the Chinese government's refusal to permit the establishment of any independent organization, including nongovernment labor unions, as a reliable, independent channel for workers' grievances. Garment workers decided to strike in June over a reduction in pay. Chinese laborers and farmers run a strong risk of prison time when they resort to protest; yet the garment workers' strike is just the latest example of a strike predicated on labor unrest.
See "A Chinese Riot Rooted in Confusion", Edward Cody, The Washington Post, July 17, 2005