eNewsletter

The Chinese government and the All-China Federal Trade Unions (ACFTU) have recently strengthened their promotion of collective wage bargaining.

A recent report by the World Economic Forum found that India ranks 113 out of 135 countries in gender equality in the work place. Only 14% of the companies in India have 40% or more women among their employees.

Singapores new Retirement and Re-employment Act took effect on January 1, 2012. This act allows employees to continue working past the statutory retirement age of 62.

The electronics company Sony Corp. recently revealed that it is moving away from Japans traditional recruitment process. Sony announced in late December that they want to break out of the standard strict hiring process.

Trade union leaders in India have announced that they will hold a joint strike on February 28, 2012. All the Central Trade Unions (CTUs) are demanding better labor laws and effective government implementation of these laws to protect employees interests.

A recent survey in Japan found that 74% of degree-holding Japanese women voluntarily quit their careers. This is a significant 28% more than American women. Many people believe that Japanese women leave for traditional reasons such as childcare.

In the wake of Thailands devastating nationwide flood in October 2011, the government is providing financial incentives for businesses to re-open and hire. These policies will come into effect on January 1, 2012.

President Ma Ying-jeou has announced that he will reduce working hours and regulate unpaid leave in order to fight the current slow economic growth. Ma has also proposed changing current labor laws to decrease unemployment.

For the first time, the Chinese government has mandated that foreign expatriates working in China are required to participate in Chinas Social Security System. The new law went into effect on October 15.

More companies are leaving Chinas coastal cities for inland cities to cut down on production costs. Wages are significantly lower inland, thus significantly boosting operating-profit margins.

The Fukuoka High Court, the highest court in the Kyushu and Okinawa sections in Japan, declared that foreign permanent residents are eligible for public welfare assistance.

The Ministry of Manpower and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) released new guidelines in early November for fair employment practices. The main purpose of the guidelines is to curb discrimination.