Shandong province sees rising unemployment rate

Nov. 24, 2008 (China Knowledge) - Shandong province, China's second largest economic province in terms of GDP, reported both its numbers in enterprise employees and of those actually employed decreased, the official Xinhua News reported, citing one source from the provincial federation of trade unions.

Employees with enterprises and institution in urban areas amounted to 9.14 million by late September, representing a year-on-year decrease of 38,000 workers. Of this total, only 8.87 million workers were actually employed, down by 29,000 from the same period last year.
 
The economic slowdown caused by the global financial crisis has other negative impact on legitimate rights of workers, such as growing number of labor disputes and slower salary growth, according to a spokesman with the federation.

Separately, the Shangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission said in a statement posted on its website last Friday that there would be nearly RMB 1 trillion worth of investment in the province within the coming three years boosted by the central government's recently announced economic stimulus plan.