China in rare ruling favouring strikers

A Chinese committee has ruled against an employer who fired 40 workers for going on strike, state-media said Wednesday, highlighting rising labour activism in the world's second largest economy. A manufacturer in the eastern Chinese province of Fujian sacked 40 workers in March for going on strike the previous month, the state run Global Times daily said. China's ruling Communist Party is wary of an independent labour movement, so only allows one government-linked trade union, which in the past has acted to prevent workers from striking. But analysts say that in recent years workers have become more empowered as labour shortages turn bargaining power in their favour -- though strikers still risk police detention. A government labour panel ruled that the dismissals in Fujian were illegal, said the report, citing Chinese media outlet Caixin. It added that the employer would appeal, according to AFP.