What Sort of Collective Bargaining Is Emerging in China?

Abstract

China is experiencing a rapid expansion of what is termed ‘collective bargaining’. The article draws on workplace and sectoral examples to assess what underlies this. Recent changes in labour policy are outlined. Four studies at establishment level describe the use of hybrid representation in response to growing worker activism and internal union reform. Two studies of sectoral bargaining shed light on decentralized decision‐making on pay. Attention is drawn to the growth of employer organizations and increased articulation within the trade union. A form of collective bargaining is emerging where the union draws on state power to improve conditions of employment.

Contextualizing HRM in China: differences within the country

“…133-136). Indeed, Lee et al (2016) suggest that, 'Nowadays, enterprises are expected to have trade unions, collective bargaining and workers' congresses among institutions' and these are expected to also behave more effectively. What might be the HRM implications, for example, of the objectives the ACFTU set itself in 2011 (Lee et al, 2016, pp.…”

“…This has implications, for example, for Kim and Wright's (2011) proposition that employers will gain more from implementing high commitment work systems where their jurisdictional context includes weaker external regulatory IR influences on management. For their part, Lee et al (2016), examine how the ACFTU -and some employer associations (see also Lee, Sheldon, & Li, 2011) -have nurtured collective bargaining at the local level. Governments have encouraged these developments, especially for indigenous privately owned SMEs, often marginal to the development of IR structures and processes.…”

“…Governments have encouraged these developments, especially for indigenous privately owned SMEs, often marginal to the development of IR structures and processes. Indeed, Lee et al (2016) note that these bargained agreements have now come to include wider HRM considerations like promotion policy and access to training.…”

Taming Labor: Workers’ Struggles, Workplace Unionism, and Collective Bargaining on a Chinese Waterfront

“…For Lee, Brown and Wen (2016), "the notable change since the strike wave of 2010 is that strikes tend not be about rights but about interests" (222). Chen and Tang (2013) present a three-part typology of labor conflict involving disputes over "rights", disputes over "interests" and "prereform entitlement, which blurs rights and interests" (560).…”

“…In 2013, the ACFTU claimed 27 of China"s 31 provinces had passed This is the accepted version of a forthcoming article that will be published by Sage in ILR Review: http://journals.sagepub.com/loi/ilr Accepted version downloaded from SOAS Research Online: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/24689/ new regulations on collective consultation and democratic management (Lee, Brown and Wen 2016).…”