Table 3 Transformation of the labor dispute mediation system from 1987 to 2012
Period | 1987–1992 | 1993–2007 | 2008–2012 |
|---|---|---|---|
Background | SOE reform | Expansion of non-state economy | Social instability |
Political goal | Absorbing labor petitions triggered by the reform of SOE and labor policy regime | Containing labor disputes in non-state areas | Maintaining a harmonious society |
Formal institutions | Mediate first, arbitrate later, adjudicate last | One mediation, one arbitration, and two lawsuits | Triple mediations, one arbitration, and two lawsuits |
Legal basis | Provisional regulation on handling labor disputes in state-owned enterprises (1987) | Regulation on handling labor disputes in enterprises (1993) | Law on mediation and arbitration of labor disputes (2008) |
Mediatory mechanism | Mediation by enterprise mediation committees | Mediation by labor arbitration institutions | Classified mediation and grand mediation |