China drives to boost trade union role

All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) vice-chairman Wang Yupu said on Monday that more than 90 per cent of enterprises in China should have effective trade unions by 2012, which would represent more than 92 per cent of the developing country's workers.

Mr Wang insisted that unions must safeguard their democratic character in order to prevent bosses installing union leaders who act as proxies of management.

Fellow ACFTU activist Guo Wencai said that democratic elections were a key standard to measure the effectiveness of a trade union and noted that the practice of company chiefs "appointing union leaders or assigning someone from their human resources department to act as union leader hampers a trade union's independence and its ability to protect workers' rights."

The Chinese government has been bumping up minimum-wage levels across the country as it strives to boost domestic consumption to make it a driver of economic growth and ease the reliance exports.

And a wave of industrial unrest has hit foreign transnationals and their suppliers in the country in recent months, highlighting the increasing readiness of Chinese workers and their unions to stand up for decent pay and working conditions.

Beijing has been facilitating union recruitment drives and Mr Wang reported that about 84 million out of all the 230m migrant workers in China had joined trade unions by the end of 2009.

He went on to say that unions have now been established in 87 per cent of the top 500 US corporations operating in China.

Also Beijing announced on Monday a global talent search to fill top posts at 12 major state-owned companies as part of efforts to improve public-sector performance.

The State Asset Supervision and Administration Commission wants "talented candidates from home and abroad" to help strengthen and develop companies, according to a two-page advertisement in the China Daily - the main state-run newspaper aimed at a global audience.

The posts include general managers of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corp, the China State Construction Engineering Corp and car maker Dongfeng Motor Corp.