Nike sees 'gaps' in China's labor laws

Nike has said workers at its 180 factories in China do not enjoy the same protection as its employees in other countries due to "gaps" in the country’s labor laws, the Financial Times reported. In the company’s inaugural report on corporate social responsibility initiatives in China, it commended the Chinese government for steps taken to increase protection of workers’ rights, but said that Chinese law still fell short of "basic protections outlined under the [International Labor Organization] Convention." The effectiveness of the country’s new labor contract law, effective January 1 of this year, was recently defended by Sun Baoshu, vice-minister of labor and social security, who said that resistance to the law was due to misinterpretation on the part of employers.