Cross-Border Labor Activism: Hong Kong-Based Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM)

From “Looking for Mickey Mouse’s Conscience” (The Disney Campaign, 2005-present) to “Ending iSlavery” (The Apple and Foxconn Campaign, 2010-present), SACOM is devoted to organizing cross-border campaigns to amplify workers’ calls for decent work in globalized China. In the summer of 2005, SACOM was born out of bi-weekly meetings of some 20 students from Hong Kong’s universities during which we discussed issues such as the rise of global capitalism, under the guidance of three professors. Over these past eight years, SACOM organizers, students (including graduate students from the mainland) and scholars have joined hands to publish first-hand investigative reports to hold Apple, Foxconn, HP, Dell, Disney, Walmart and other multinationals responsible for worker abuses in their supply chains. The “fingers eating machines” were eventually replaced at the toy factory, a labor rights training program was conducted at two large electronics plants, and a short video titled “The Truth behind Apple’s iPad” was shared among Foxconn workers and concerned global consumers through social media. International campaigning is needed to spread our message, while worker participation is indispensable if we are to creating a lasting impact at the workplace level. Challenges of capital and censorship by the Chinese state remain strong, putting direct pressures not only on workers but also our allies based in China.