The Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JTUC-RENGO) and the All Chinese Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) jointly held a Bilateral Seminar on Industrial Relations in Multinational Enterprises, from December 7 to 8, 2009, in Hangzhou City, China. JTUC-RENGO sent an eight-member delegation headed by Vice President S. Ochiai to the seminar, while a representative of JILAF also joined the delegation. From the ACFTU, Bro. G. Jiang, Executive Director of the International Affairs Division and Workers' Deputy Member of the ILO Governing Body, and thirty-five other union leaders and staff members participated.
Four major issues were discussed at the seminar: recent labor legislation in China, industrial relations in both countries, labour-management relations in Japanese enterprises in China, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and CSR. The JTUC-RENGO delegation gave an explanation of current labor issues and industrial relations in Japan. They also emphasized the significance of the roles of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and CSR initiatives for developing positive industrial relations not only in Japan and China, but in other parts of the world as well.
The major issue for the Chinese side was to introduce the regulations of the Chinese Labour Contract Law and issues involving its implementation. They also stressed the active role that ACFTU has played in regulating and implementing the law.
During the second day of the seminar, two Presidents of Japanese companies operating in Hangzhou took part in a debate on the theme of "how to develop good industrial relations." The trade union leaders of their companies also joined the debate and discussed the implementation of new labour laws and other relevant issues.
JTUC-RENGO and its predecessor have been organizing bilateral seminars on multinational enterprises since 1975 as a means to support the development of positive industrial relations in the Asian region. This was its thirty-fourth seminar and the first such seminar to be held in China for eleven years.