Our 10 most recent articles.
Labour policy suggestions put forward at annual legislative meetings in Beijing
Discussions at these meetings act as a barometer on labour policies for the coming year
22 March 2022
Increase in strikes in logistics and service sectors in 2021 not expected to let up
CLB collected over one thousand incidents in 2021 in our Strike Map, revealing industry trends and labour relations challenges
15 February 2022
Two years on, pandemic’s frontline workers still lack adequate labour protections
The new calendar year began with the entire city of Xi’an in the middle of a month-long Covid-19 lockdown as China pursues its “Zero Covid” strategy, which is reliant on hotels as quarantine facilities. The very first local case in Xi’an, from which a rapid spread of the virus prompted the late December lockdown, was a quarantine hotel worker who contracted the virus on the job.
08 February 2022
Rural teachers raise age discrimination issue in their quest for equal pay
Local trade unions refuse to get involved when teachers raise online appeal over age limit in applying for national special post program
28 January 2022
Platform labour regulations and unionising the gig economy
At China Labour Bulletin, we are saying goodbye to our retiring Communications Director, Geoffrey Crothall. CLB Executive Director Han Dongfang thanks Geoffrey for his long service to the organization: "During the past decade and a half, under Geoff’s guidance, the CLB team has successfully built a solid platform providing the most reliable information on the workers' movement and labour issues in China. I am very thankful for Geoff’s invaluable contributions."
07 October 2021
Tutors struggle for compensation after mass layoffs
Teachers across China face wages in arrears after the effects of new rules regulating tutoring companies
07 September 2021
Henan overtakes Guangdong in number of worker protests
The central province of Henan has been a key locus of worker activism and collective protests in China over the last year, with construction and transport workers taking the lead.
24 August 2021
China’s social security system
Every employee in China is supposed to have a pension, medical and unemployment insurance, and a range of other welfare benefits. In reality, the system has largely failed to provide workers, and rural migrant workers in particular, with the social security they need and are legally entitled to.
18 August 2021
Chongqing government amends discriminatory policy after public outcry
The Chongqing government has quietly revoked a discriminatory hiring requirement for teachers following a public outcry. However, the local trade union, whose responsibility it is to protect teachers’ rights, was nowhere to be seen.
16 July 2021
Migrant workers and their children
There are an estimated 286 million rural migrant workers in China, comprising more than one-third of the entire working population. They have been the engine of China’s spectacular economic growth over the last three decades but remain marginalized, and their children have limited access to education and healthcare.
04 May 2021