Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Monday, October 21, 2013

See the difference?

There's one line here that pretty clearly shows how unions in the Peoples Republic are different from unions in the West.

CPC official urges greater role for labor unions

A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has called on the country's labor unions to play a greater role in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the working class.

ACFTU logo

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in a congratulatory speech delivered at the opening session of the 16th national congress of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU)…

Founded on May 1, 1925, the ACFTU is China's only umbrella union and has 31 provincial trade union federations, 10 national industrial unions and more than 1.3 million grassroots trade union organizations affiliated to it…

Like Western labor unions, the ACFTU's role includes coordinating labor relations and seeking better working conditions for its members.

Led by the CPC, the ACFTU serves as a "bridge" between the CPC and the masses and assists the government in ensuring the continuing operation of the labor market.

In his speech, Liu called on the working class to safeguard the country's social stability and unity, maximize positive elements, dissolve negative elements and form a positive momentum of union and hard work.

"The working class should become the role model of unity and progress, and vigorously promote the glorious tradition of unity, cooperation, mutual assistance and friendship, and strengthen unity with other working people and all strata of society," he said…