Truck driver protests censored

Last week on Friday, Chinese truck drivers began a nationwide protest about a variety of grievances, including traffic laws, cutthroat competition caused by Uber-like online contracting services, high gas prices, and stagnant wages.

• Activists took to social media to rally “30 million truck drivers” across China, according to China Labour Bulletin and Radio Free Asia. The former reported, “Collective protests by truck drivers have been recorded in at least a dozen locations in Shandong, Sichuan, Chongqing, Anhui, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Hubei, Henan and Zhejiang.”
• “All websites in all regions, immediately delete upon discovery all news on multi-province freight truck drivers, leave no stone unturned” is a government censorship instruction dated June 11, as reported by China Digital Times.

Correction 6/14/18: We originally reported that “video of truck drivers shouting ‘Down with the Communist Party’ (打倒共产党 dǎdǎo gòngchǎndǎng) has been circulating on Twitter and overseas dissident websites (in Chinese).” But It seems the truck drivers are not suicidal after all: China Labor Bulletin tweeted:  “Upon careful listening, the truck drivers seem to be shouting ‘Down with Huo Che Bang!’ [打到货车帮 dǎdào huòchē bāng] referring to an online platform which they argue monopolised the long haul cargo market.” Huo Che Bang means “Truck Gang” — their website is here (in Chinese).