CHINA

Government Issues Union Edict: All foreign-funded firms in the booming coastal regions have orders from Beijing to establish labor unions by the end of the year to safeguard workers’ rights, a state-run newspaper said. The policy applies to all such firms that began operations before June in the coastal areas, which have the largest concentrations of joint ventures and other overseas-funded enterprises. In other regions, 60% of foreign-invested enterprises must begin setting up trade unions, the China Daily reported, quoting Yang Xinfu, vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.