Labor Disputes in China at All-Time-High

In 2016, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) in China registered 1.8 million labor disputes – an increase of almost 118 percent compared to the previous year. Is this reason enough for local enterprises to outsource their production? The Taiwanese electronics supplier for Apple, Foxconn, plans to open its first major factory in the U.S.

President Trump, who is seeking to bolster domestic manufacturing welcomes this investment: “This is a great day for American workers and manufacturing, and for everyone who believes in the concept and the label, ‘Made in the USA.’”

Foxconn however, has come under massive criticism in recent years with several labor disputes arising from the company’s working conditions. In fact, labor disputes in general have become a major problem in China. One of the many reasons might be the insufficient mediation between employees and the management by the national All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU).