Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 23, 2003
First Blue Book on Chinese Trade Unions Issued
The All-China Federation of Trade Unions issued its first blue book on "Chinese Trade Union's Safeguarding of the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Workers and Staff Members" Thursday in Beijing.
The All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) issued its first blue book on "Chinese Trade Union's Safeguarding of the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Workers and Staff Members" Thursday in Beijing.
Zhang Junjiu, vice-chairman of ACFTU gave an brief introduction on the said bule book.
The blue book mainly contains 10 parts, namely, Safeguarding the Right of Workers and Staff Members to Join or Organize Trade Unions, the Right to Represent Workers and Staff Members as a Collective in Negotiations, on Safeguarding Workers' Labor and Economic Rights and Interests, on Safeguarding Workers' Rights and Interests of Labor Safety and Occupational Health, safeguarding the Right of the Workers and Staff Members in Democratic Participation, safeguarding the Right of the Workers and Staff Members in Democratic Supervision, Right to Organize and Represent the Workers and Staff Members to Participate in Formulation of Laws and Policies, right to Maintain the Spiritual Culture of the Workers and Staff Members, maintenance of Gender Equality and Protection of Special Rights and Interests of Female Workers and Staff Members, and significant Contributions from the Masses of Chinese Workers and Staff Members to Economic and Social Development.
Chinese trade unions are mass organizations of the working class formed by the workers and staff members on a voluntary basis under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, they serve as a bridge and link through which the Party keeps contact with the masses of the workers and staff members, they provide an important pillar of society for the political power of the State, and they are the champion and defender for the interests of the members of the trade unions and other workers and staff members.
In 1949 when the People's Republic of China was first founded, there were more than 8,000,000 workers and staff members in total; up until now, there are all together more than 200,000,000 workers and staff members, with an increase of more than 24 times compared with the number in 1949.