‘996’ working culture under fire from China’s top court

The top court in Beijing sent out a warning message regarding excessive working hours at Chinese companies, the latest move in a sweeping regulatory clampdown on China’s biggest technology groups, reports the Financial Times.

China’s Supreme People’s Court and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Friday jointly issued a set of new “model” cases that will guide courts on how to treat workers’ rights in labor disputes, while warning companies over abuse.

The strengthening of labor rights came after years of dissent among technology sector workers over the so-called 996 labor system, in which employees are expected to work from 9am-9pm, six days a week.

An anti-996 campaign, which has targeted internet groups Alibaba, JD.com, Pinduoduo, ByteDance and others, has gathered steam amid complaints of grueling conditions and deaths blamed on overwork.