Industrial Relations in the Chinese Factory

Abstract

New economic reforms in China since the late 1970s have promoted workers congresses alongside reconstituted trade unions. This paper examines industrial relations and personnel activities in a number of Chinese factories, involved in heavy and light industry, with the aim of determining whether a new model of industrial relations is emerging, Despite changes in the workplace, the reform of the labour market, and increasing specialization and professionalization, China has neither embraced western style capitalisrn nor adopted workers'self management. Changes in industrial relations in China must be seen within a wider conlext than comparable changes in the west.