Zhengzhou's labor and social security bureau filed 365 official labor dispute cases relating to 480 workers in the first quarter of this year.

The number increased by 71.36 percent compared over the corresponding period last year, local newspaper Orient Today reported.

In the last three months, the bureau received 527 applications for labor dispute mediation and arbitration.

The director of labor dispute mediation and arbitration office of local labor authorities said they can hardly handle all the cases, for there are only five mediators in her office. Actually, there are altogether 58 professional mediators in Zhengzhou, the capital of central China's Henan Province.

Related departments are training personnel in preparation for the upcoming peak of labor disputes, the report said.

Labor disputes are expected to increase rapidly after the new law on labor dispute mediation and arbitration takes effects on May 1, 2008.

According to present labor arbitration system began in 1987, employees who want to initiate a labor dispute must pay at least 20 yuan. Additional charges will put heavy burden on their shoulders.

Fortunately, the new law reduces costs and gives lower-income workers more opportunities to safeguard their own rights.

Employees will be exempt from charges, according to the stipulation. In addition, the valid period between the date of the dispute and the application for arbitration will be extended from 60 days to one year.

According to NPC statistics, between 1987 and 2005, labor dispute arbitration organizations at various levels dealt with 1.72 million cases involving 5.32 million employees, with a growth rate of 27.3 percent annually.

(CRI April 15, 2008)