Main UnionsThe All China Federation of Trade

Unions (simplified chinese: 中华全国总工会; 會

)is the sole national trade union

federation of the People’s republic of China.

All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU)

Chairman Wang Zhaoguo

Largest trade union in the world with 134 Million members in 1,731,000 primary trade union organizations

Labor force totaling 807,300,000

Union Growth and Decline

ACFTU Critical Moments:

ACFTU founded May 1, 1925

1967: Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

1976: Death of Mao Zedong allowed re-establishment of All China Federation of Trade Unions

Involvement in Politics

All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU)

Defender of workers' rights?

or

Servant of the Chinese Communist Party and Government?

Challenges to ACFTU

The International Confederation of Free Trade Workers states:

“the ACFTU is not an independent trade union organization and, therefore, cannot be regarded as an authentic voice of Chinese workers”

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is the world's largest trade union federation.

Union Responses to Changing Environment

April 3, 1992: Trade Union Law

This Law was enacted in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China with a view to ensuring the status of trade unions in the political, economic and social life of the State, defining their rights and obligations and bringing into play their role in the socialist modernization drive.

Jan 1, 2008: Labor Contract Law (LCL):

This Law was formulated in accordance with the Constitution in order to protect the legitimate rights and interests of labourers, readjust labour relationships, establish and safeguard a labour system suited to the socialist market economy, and promote economic development and social progress.

Role in the Workplace

Scientific Development, Economic Stimulation & Social Harmony

“Taking the initiative in safeguarding the rights in a scientific way and according to law based on workers as basic elements”

Socialist Rights Protection Work Firmly adhering to the principle of integrating the overall interests of the whole

people with the interests of the workers

(1) Persevering in serving the workers whole-heartedly (“Worker Satisfaction”)

(2) Sticking to harmonious development and aiming at mutual benefit and joint prosperity

(3) Sticking to the rights protection practice of planning in a unified way with due consideration for all concerned and giving prominence to priority work

(4) Sticking to the pattern of the trade unions operating under the Party and governments’ guidance

Worker Activism: “Strikes are still illegal”

ACFTU does not authorize strikes

Demands rarely passed on to Management

Media pressure in China

Recent Shift in allowing worker protests

Political connotations

Workers becoming increasingly aware of western practices