Via the China Study Group, the South China Morning Post published a story on “a showdown between the mainland’s traditional union and an American corporate giant underlines the radical changes occurring in the workplace.”
It is a battle between the world’s largest retailer and the national trade union of one of its fastest growing markets. “When we talk about forming a trade union, Wal-Mart is tough and unco-operative,” said a spokesman for the Shanghai branch of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU). “This gives our negotiations a lot of trouble, but we will enforce the law against those who defy it.”
“We support direct talks between management and staff,” said Wal-Mart chief executive Lee Scott in Beijing. “There is no need of a third party to represent our staff.”
