China pilots multi-pronged mechanism for labor dispute settlement

BEIJING -- China will pilot a multi-pronged mechanism for labor dispute settlement in a number of provinces and cities, according to a guideline jointly issued by the Supreme People's Court and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.

The document requires better coordination between people's courts and federations of trade unions in local labor dispute prevention and resolution mechanism, calling for efforts to encourage parties to labor disputes to seek resolution through non-litigation means such as consultation, mediation and arbitration.

Federations of trade unions are urged to help improve local labor dispute mediation organizations, select quality lawyers to help in labor dispute mediation and explore ways to establish a system for full-time labor dispute mediation lawyers.

The guideline also asks people's courts at all levels to improve work and mechanisms relevant to the handling of labor dispute cases.

People's courts, where conditions allow, can set up specialized courts, collegial panels and circuit courts to handle labor disputes, according to the document.

The guideline clarifies that after a dispute settlement agreement is reached through mediation, the mediation organization or mediator shall guide parties to the dispute to implement the agreement in a timely manner and in full.