Global corporations opposing new Chinese labour law strengthening worker’s rights

Public and media discussion often focuses on the role of the Chinese government in suppressing workers struggles and in not enforcing existing labour laws. Yet, multinationals play a significant role, too. Despite claims that they are raising human and labour rights standards abroad, which in many cases is used as a justification to operate in countries such as China, they often do the opposite.

A good example is the emerging difference between China and American and other foreign corporations over proposed labour legislation. China is planning to adopt a new labour law aimed at improving worker’s rights and labour conditions. Yet, US-based global corporations like Wal-Mart, Google, UPS, Microsoft, Nike, AT&T, and Intel, acting through US business organisations like the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and the US-China Business Council, are actively lobbying against the new legislation. They have expressed concern that the new rules would revive « some aspects of socialism » and borrow too heavily from « labour laws in union-friendly countries » like France and German.

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