China: government moves to regulate Wild West digital economy

Efforts on the part of the Chinese government to better regulate working conditions in the platform economy are ongoing. As previously reported (see article n°12665), the law on workplace safety – amended in June and effective from 1 September – contains specific mention of the gig economy, and that is not all. In June, seven Chinese state agencies issued a notice on the rights and interests of couriers and riders working for delivery platforms. Then in following month came guidelines to better protect all “new forms of employment”, including in the areas of pay, working hours and social security.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

Notices and directives. The main thrust of the joint notice issued on 23 June by the seven state agencies – including the Chinese ministry of transport and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions – was to encourage delivery firms to hire their employees directly and to pay for accident insurance for couriers that would be proportional to the average local salary or turnover. On 16 July, meanwhile, eight ministries and state agencies – including the Supreme People’s Court – issued a comprehensi

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
The major trends of 2026
New regulations coming into force, economic uncertainty, evolving skills requirements… More than ever, the HR function will play a strategic role within organizations in 2026. mind HR...
Germany: collective bargaining negotiations begin in chemical industry
Collective bargaining talks in Germany’s chemical and pharmaceutical industries are due to open this week, covering nearly 580,000 employees across around 1,700 companies. With the sector facing...
3 February 2026
Argentina: labour law reform debate kicks off
Argentina’s Congress has begun debating President Javier Milei’s highly contentious labour reform package, which includes proposals to scrap overtime pay, curb the right to strike and give...
3 February 2026
France: Uber ordered to pay €1.7 billion for undeclared work
According to the publication Revue21, the employer contributions collection agency (URSSAF) has sent a 142-page document to the ride-hailing platform Uber demanding the sum of €1.7 billion...
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Oliver Dietrich (IG Metall): “The advent of AI can be a means of deepening social partnership within companies”
In Germany, trade unions want to influence how AI is deployed in companies. Oliver Dietrich is an AI project manager at the regional office of the IG Metall trade union in North Rhine-Westphalia...
2
Germany: collective bargaining negotiations begin in chemical industry
Collective bargaining talks in Germany’s chemical and pharmaceutical industries are due to open this week, covering nearly 580,000 employees across around 1,700 companies. With the sector facing...
3 February 2026
3
Italy: collective agreement for rubber and plastics sector focuses on new skills
A month ahead of schedule, the Federazione Gomma Plastica employers' organisation and the Filctem-Cgil, Femca-Cisl and Uiltec trade unions have renewed the collective agreement for the rubber and...
5 January 2026
4
Italy: new generational renewal agreement penned at UniCredit
The agreement signed on 30 December by UniCredit, Italy’s second-largest banking group, with the Fabi, First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil, Uilca and Unisin trade unions aims to continue generational...
5
France: social partner talks extend far beyond contractual terminations
After a false start on 3 December, French social partners resumed talks on 7 January 2026 on potential changes to the unemployment insurance agreement, including the rules governing compensation...
12 January 2026
6
EU: banking sector social partners commit to combating violence and harassment
On 15 January, the trade union federation UNI Europa Finance and three employers’ associations in the banking sector signed a joint statement on preventing violence and harassment in the...