Huge IT layoffs trigger labor friction

Labor unrest is expected to spread following massive layoffs at several IT giants, with experts calling on multinationals to take the issue seriously.

Cisco Systems has announced a plan for global job cuts, while thousands of Microsoft employees in China are trying to negotiate a deal for better compensation following layoffs.

"Labor disputes involving overseas information technology companies are set to grow for the next two years at least as the Chinese economy slows," Zhang Zhiru, a labor rights expert at Shenzhen Chunfeng Labor Disputes Services Center, said on Thursday.