Photograph: chinahbzyg / Shutterstock.com

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.

At China Labour Bulletin, we are saying goodbye to our retiring Communications Director, Geoffrey Crothall.

After five years of wage delays and non-payment of bonuses and pension contributions, the teachers of Dafang country in Guizhou finally had enough. They took their complaints public and petitioned the central government for help. In early September, the State Council intervened and ordered the local government to pay the teachers the 470 million yuan they were owed.