ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the origins of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP's) relations with urban workers. It looks at the twists and turns of party-labor relations during the Maoist period and the Reform Era, and trace developments through to the twenty-first century. The chapter outlines current structures of control, focusing on the official party organ to regulate labor, namely the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU). It examines workers' response and how these are viewed by the party-state, and relate this to the generational change within the leadership. The reaction of workers has been to acquiesce and do their jobs, in common with the working class throughout much of world history. The policy of shifting from an export orientated to a domestic demand economy seems to provide hope to workers, who have seen increased wages forced on employers through higher minimum wages. The chapter concludes with a brief exploration of possible future directions for the relation between labor and the Party.
