"Risk Management: How to handle labor disputes in China?", Shanghai, 5th June, 2012

China has seen an increase in strikes, disputes and protests over the last few years. The labor environment generally remains favourable compared to many countries, but several factors suggest the trend of more frequent disputes is likely to continue:

• A new labor law since 2008 has given more rights to workers.
• A tighter labor market (especially in manufacturing) gives workers more leverage.
• Together with rising living costs, this fuels demands for better pay and conditions.
• The economic downturn has simultaneously put stress on the export sector
• Young workers are more rights-aware, more willing to protest and more connected

With no independent unions or courts, workers sometimes feel they must resort to protests, strikes, or (more rarely) violence and intimidation to settle grievances.
Drawing on a series of recent case examples, Control Risks will present how to resolve labor disputes when they involve serious threats and demands. We will discuss the common types of threats and demands, help you identify your negotiation objectives, and those of the perpetrators, demonstrate a methodology for assessing the risk to operations, security of personnel and assets and reputation, and provide tips and techniques for developing your negotiation and communication strategy.
Roedl & Partner will provide you with an insight on how to deal with labor disputes in China. Especially, Roedl & Partner will focus on termination of labor contracts, mass layoffs as well as strikes within a company.

Speaker:
JOHN MACPHERSON
DIRECTOR OF CONTROL RISKS’ CRISIS AND SECURITY CONSULTING PRACTICE FOR THE GREATER CHINA REGION
John assists clients to identify and manage strategic opportunities and operations in complex environments. He develops innovative and effective risk management strategies by facilitating the broad range of Control Risks Global Services, including political, operational and security risk analysis, crisis management and complex problem solving, stakeholder relations, business intelligence and due diligence, anti-corruption and travel security. He has extensive experience assisting clients to resolve crises, implementing crisis management plans, stakeholder mapping and management. He has worked with senior executive management teams in the financial, food and fast-moving consumer goods and resource sectors as they manage crises caused by product contamination, extortion, illegal detention, commercial disputes, and issue-motivated groups. Prior to his current role, John worked with Control Risks in Australia and with the Australian Government.

ALEXANDER FISCHER
ATTORNEY AT LAW (GERMANY), DIPLOMA TRANLATOR FOR CHINESE AND KOREAN, MANAGING PARTNER OF ROEDL & PARTNER IN SHANGHAI
Alexander Fischer has been working on China and Korea related projects for more than fifteen years. Mr. Fischer specializes in foreign direct investment in the People`s Republic of China and the Republic of Korea since 1998, and he has been regularly advising medium to large European enterprises for their international mergers and acquisitions and formation of joint ventures throughout China and South Korea. Especially in 2009 during the financial crisis, he spent most of his time on projects of mass layoffs, liquidations and dealing with strikes in Foreign Invested Enterprises. He speaks and writes Chinese, Korean, English and is a native German speaker.

Location:
Sofitel Hyland
No.505, East Nanjing Road, 上海南京东路505号