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New labor regulation ignites dissent

By Liu Ce (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-11 10:47

A new labor regulation from ComfortDelGro, one of the world's leading passenger transport operators, has triggered anger in Shenyang, capital of northeastern China's Liaoning province.

The provision's full name is "The Interim Provisions about sick leave and insurances payment." According to this provision of Shenyang ComfortDelGro Bus Co Ltd, any employee will be fired if they apply for a whole month's sick leave.

One driver from the company who declined to be named said he was very upset about this regulation. "Stomach illness and hemorrhoids are very popular among us drivers because of unhealthy working time," he said.

An official from Shenyang labor bureau's supervision section said enterprises can't terminate labor contracts without proper reasons. Employees can apply for labor dispute arbitration if they think it is unfair.

Shenyang ComfortDelGro declined to give an explanation about this. But a source from the local Business Times says that an official from the company was cited saying that this new regulation might not be executed under actual operation although it has been written in the provision.

Moreover, ComfortDelGro is also suspected of making its employees work for 13 hours a day while the nation's labor law rules limit workers to no more than 8 hours a day.

Singapore's ComfortDelGro is the second largest passenger transport operator in the world. It has operations in 12 cities of China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.