ABSTRACT
Research on Chinese trade unions has primarily focused on their functions, strategies and challenges since the beginning of the economic reform in the late 1970s that has led to the rapid growth of the private manufacturing sector and the decline of the state sector. Lack of independence and inefficacy in representing workers’ rights and interests have been familiar critiques levelled against the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), the only official union recognised by the Chinese government, due to the lack of organisational capacity and political will. This chapter provides an evaluation of the evolving role of the ACFTU organisations at various levels and the emerging role of alternative agents of workers’ representation, notably non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This chapter highlights the different attitudes, coverages and functions of ACFTU organisations across different levels, industrial sectors and ownership forms. It argues that research on Chinese unionism should adopt a more nuanced approach to uncover varieties of unionism in terms of strategic and operational priorities, constraints, capabilities and effects.
