WANG Lin

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International Labor Standards Implications in
China

• WANG Lin
• ILO Beijing Office
• For international workshop on labor standards
• 23 March 2004, Beijing China

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Content

• 1. Core international labor standards
• 2. Labor rights conditions in China

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1. Core International Labor Standards

International labor standards (ILS) are the
cornerstone of the ILOs work in any country.
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1. Core International Labor Standards
184 Conventions 8 have been identified as
fundamental Conventions by the ILO Declaration
on Fundamental Principles and rights at Work
Freedom of association. Discrimination,
Forced labor Child labor.

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1. Core International Labor Standards
The operational objectives of ILO's ILS work in
China   (a) to promote and realize the ILO
Declaration on Fundamental Principles and
Rights at Work (b) to provide technical advice
and assistance for the ratification and
application of ILO Conventions, including
fundamental and priority Conventions (c) to
conduct information and educational activities to
promote greater awareness of (a variety of )
international labor standards (d)  to
strengthen institutional capacity in labor
inspection to promote the effective application
of ILO Conventions, taking into account the
relevant Conventions on labor inspection.

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1. Core International Labor Standards
China has ratified the following 23
Conventions   Convention Ratification Registere
d  Age 1) C.7 Minimum Age (Sea),
1920 02.12.36 2) C.15 Minimum Age (Trimmers
and Stokers), 1921 02.12.36 3) C.16 Medical
Examination of Young Persons (Sea),
1921 02.12.36 4) C.59 Minimum Age (Industry)
(Revised), 1937 21.02.40 5) C.138 Minimum
Age 1973 28.04.99 6) C.182 The
Worst Forms of Child Labor, 1999
08.08.02

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1. Core International Labor Standards

China has ratified the following 23
Conventions   Convention Ratification Registere
d None discrimination 7) C.159 Vocational
Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled
Persons), 1983 02.02.88

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1. Core International Labor Standards
China has ratified the following 23
Conventions   Convention Ratification Registere
d Rights 8) C.11 Right of Association
(Agriculture) 1921 27.04.34 9) C.14 Weekly
Rest (Industry), 1921 17.05.34 10) C.19 Equality
of Treatment (Accident Compensation),
1925 27.04.34 11) C.100 Equal Remuneration,
1951 02.11.90 12) C.26 Minimum Wage-Fixing
Machinery, 1928 05.05.30

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1. Core International Labor Standards
China has ratified the following 23
Conventions   Convention Ratification Registere
d Occupational health and safety 13)
C.32 Protection against Accidents (Dockers)
(Revised), 1932 30.11.35 14) C.167 Safety and
Health in Construction 1983 07.03.02 15)
C.170 Chemicals, 1990 11.01.95

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1. Core International Labor Standards
China has ratified the following 23
Conventions   Convention Ratification Registere
d Labor administration 16) C.122 Employment
Policy, 1964 17.12.97 17)
C.144 Tripartite Consultation (International
Labor Standards), 1976 02.11.90
18) C.150 Labor
Administration, 1978 07.03.02

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1. Core International Labor Standards
China has ratified the following 23
Conventions   Convention Ratification Registere
d 19) C.45 Underground Work (Women),
1935 02.12.36 20) C.80 Final Articles Revision,
1946 04.08.47 21) C.22 Seamen's Articles of
Agreement, 1926 02.12.36 22)
C.23 Repatriation of Seamen, 1926 02.12.36 23)
C.27 Marking of Weight (Packages Transported
by Vessels), 1929 24.06.31

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1. Core International Labor Standards

• More to come
• 1) Convention 111, Discrimination (Employment and
  
• Occupation), 1958
• 2) Convention 108, Seafarers Identity Documents
• Convention, 1958
• 3) Convention180, Seafarers' Hour of Work and
  the Manning
• of Ships Convention, 1996
• 4) Convention 155, Occupational Safety and
  Health, 1981
• 5) Convention 161, Occupational Health Service,
  1985
• 6) Convention 81, Labor Inspection, 1947
• 7) Convention 29, Forced Labor, 1930
• 8) Convention 105, Abolition of Forced Labor,
  1957.

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2. Labor rights conditions in China

• Worlds production floor
• China sets reference for global practices and
  standards
• Export oriented small-medium size labor
  intensive enterprises are the driving force of
  Chinas economy
• Informal sector and private owned enterprises

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2. Labor rights conditions in China

• Driving force of Chinas economy
• Employ mass surplus low skilled labor
• Set standards of working conditions and
• rights (national international)
• Represent a type of manage style employee
  relations

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2. Labor rights conditions in China

• Driving force of Chinas new industrial
  relations
• Massive flows of migrant workers
• Low skill and poorly trained
• Not covered by social security
• Not represented by ACFTU, or union
• No negotiating power
• etc

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2. Labor rights conditions in China

• Promote ILS through sound management and
  worker-management relations to
• Improve management skills
• Empower workers
• Improve working conditions
• Require full collaboration among social partners

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2. Labor rights conditions in China

• Challenge
• awareness / labor surplus v.s. rights
• willingness of the enterprise
• entry point to target enterprise
• law enforcement
• independent object inspection

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1. Core International Labor Standards
Two tracks ILS Chinese Labor
Law Eenterprise upgrading National policy
Management skills Consultation Enterprise
associations Government agencies Social
partners MOLSS Need collaboration support of
social partners

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1. Core International Labor Standards
To promote a new professional field
To achieve technical cooperation among Chinese
ministerial organizations
Capacity Building
To include non-Governmental bodies as partners
(while they are underdeveloped)
To introduce a new concept
Concept Level
Implementation Level
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2. Labor rights conditions in China

• ILO
• To promote Decent Work through sound human
  resource management and labor relations at
  workplace, leads to socially sustainable
  development promotes economic development
• has been the basis of some local officials
  arguments with the top local leaders.

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• Thank you for you attention, and look forward for
  your comments