Small Scale Military Headquarters

I suspect that Chinese labor is getting better organized and they are starting to form labor unions and demanding better pay, improved working conditions & fewer hours etc. This could be what's causing the slowdown in production and explains why there are so many delays in getting the collectibles (toys) out to market.

I predict more delays as these upstart unions get better organized and we should expect a steady increase in retail prices as a result.

I did a google search on Chinese labor and found some articals.

http://www.weijingsheng.org/labor.html

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/mar20 ... -m25.shtml

Wow,

very interesting articles. We complain about the glue fingerprint camo that pops up from time to time. ( I have bitched about it without thinking)
and then you read about "an experienced worker had to paint 8,920 small toy pieces a day or one every 3.23 seconds—an astounding $0.0003862 cents per operation. Workers who failed to meet their quota had their wages reduced to 12 yuan or $1.48 a day, or 18 cents per hour." how can one not end up with a few bad paint jobs?

OR the fact that 13-hour to 15-hour work day is common, with one day off a week or in some cases just one night off. In some factories, mandatory all-night shifts of 16 to 19 hours were common during busy periods. Lunch and supper breaks accounted for 2.5 hours each shift.

We can buy these beautiful 1/18 models from BBI and 21st Century in this country at a cheap price compared to what a 1/35th scale kit would cost of the same model.

All of us who enjoy this hobby should be very appreciative of what we have.

I can live with fixing whatever quality "glue or paint problem" that may pop up.