China experiences increased labour unrest in November

BOFIT Viikkokatsaus / BOFIT Weekly Review 2015/50

China Labour Bulletin (CLB), a Hong-Kong-based publication, reports that the number of strikes and labour protests in November exceeded all previous records since 2011, when the bulletin first began to publish figures. The CLB counted 301 protests in November, up from around 200 a month in previous months. Given China’s massive labour force, the numbers seem small. Nevertheless, they appear to reflect the deteriorating economic situation.
Most of the demonstrations were over unpaid wages. Looked at nationally, it is clear that the protests are concentrated in the construction sector. In the southern coastal Guangdong province, the most protest activity was seen in manufacturing, highlighting a wave of wage non-payments and abuses stemming from factory closures, mergers and shifting of production elsewhere.

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