China's top legislature, the Standing Committee of the 10th
National People's Congress (NPC),
debated in Beijing on Tuesday a draft designed to protect the
rights and interests of the country's workers through making labor
contracts obligatory.
Mandatory articles should be included to make it an obligation
for employers to sign labor contracts with their employees, said
some lawmakers attending the ongoing NPC Standing Committee
session.
Fines should also be introduced to help guide the employers into
signing contracts with their employees, they said.
According to an earlier survey, the rate of the signing of labor
contracts in small or medium-sized private companies and among
migrant workers is under 20 percent.
China introduced labor contract practices 11 years ago, but the
situation remains far from adequate. Problems like non-standard
articles and inadequate implementation are common.
(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2005)