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China's economic reform has brought waves of labor disputes between workers and management over a wide range of issues, from job contracts, wages, benefits, pensions and unemployment compensation to working conditions.'The majority of the disputes are caused by management's encroachment of workers' rights. Workers have few countervailing means in the face of this. Such asymmetrical power relations partly result from state policy. In pushing for market-driven industrial restructuring, the state grants managers extensive powers, which are often abused, but denies workers the right to independent organizations to counterbalance the powers of management. Despite this asymmetry, workers' efforts at redressing their grievances are increasing. While protests have become widespread across the country, a growing number of workers are also seeking justice through law suits. 2 This phenomenon can be …