China has witnessed a rising number of "mass incidents" triggered by labor disputes in the past 12 years, according to a senior official with the national legislature.

Yang Jingyu, chairman of the Law Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), chose not to give any figures or examples during a speech posted on the NPC's official website.

However, he said the number of labor disputes, mainly concerning unpaid wages, increased 13.5 times between 1995 and 2006.

"With industrialization and urbanization gaining pace in China, infringements on employees' rights are occurring frequently, especially in certain regions and industries," Yang said, citing private businesses, restructured State-owned enterprises and construction companies.

"They have seriously undermined a harmonious and stable relationship between employers and employees."

According to Yang, less than 20 percent of small and medium sized companies or private firms sign labor contracts with employees in a bid to cut costs or evade the payment of social insurance premiums.

More than 60 percent of employers in China only sign short-term contracts, which last no more than one year. Some employers simply dismiss employees upon their completion of probation, he said.

"These problems have made it very difficult for the employees to protect their lawful rights," Yang said.

Some local governments have chosen to sacrifice the interests of employees to attract more investment in pursuit of economic growth, he said.

China aims to put 90 percent of its working force under the protection of formal labor contracts by the end of this year, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

The nation would improve management of labor contracts and promote legislation and implementation of collective labor contracts to fully protect workers' rights.

China's top legislature adopted the Labor Contract Law last month, which will regulate employers' use of laborers and help employees protect their legal rights.

Xinhua

(China Daily 07/26/2007 page4)